Forgiveness is a Virtue
by TaintedSpells
Summary: To forgive is to let go of a bad memory. Afterwards, there can only be healing. Of course, there are the occasional roadblocks and unhealthy thoughts. Then again, friendship is always around the corner. KakaSaku.
1. Heartless Reunion

Forgiveness is a Virtue

A Naruto Fanfiction

Pairing: Kakashi/Sakura

Rating: M

A/N:

Yes, I have been sucked into the KakaSaku-verse and sadly I could not escape it. So, because I feel that there need to be more Kakashi/Sakura fictions out there, I decided to write one.

This time around, I'm making sure I go and type up at least six chapters ahead (as you read this, chapter seven is in the works). I'm also making sure I scrounge this fiction _thoroughly _before posting _anything. _This of course means that chapters will take me a while to look over before I post them because I don't have a beta. Luckily, I'm pretty good grammar wise, but there are always those little things that slip through my watchful gaze.

Of course you, the reader, could clearly see the 'M' rating on this fiction. That means there _will _be mature themes for _mature _audiences. I hope that I do not offend, but I would like to point out that in the future, I _did _give you fair warning.

I think I've said enough for this fic. So, without further ado, sit back and enjoy.

Disclaimer: For all future chapters, I do not own Naruto nor in any way am I affiliated with them. This fanfiction is merely for fun, not profit.

* * *

Kakashi was at the Hokage Stone Faces monument in the Hidden Leaf Village. Currently, he was sitting on top of the head of the third, enjoying his _Icha Icha Paradise _when he remembered something.

He was supposed to meet Tsunade thirty minutes ago.

He turned another page. Thirty more minutes couldn't hurt.

* * *

The blonde haired hokage sat at her desk, tapping her finger irritably. Kakashi stared back down at her with his lazy, hooded, one eyed gaze. Tsunade stared at him, waiting for him to say something, but when he made no move, she sighed in exasperation.

"I shouldn't have expected more from you, seeing you're always late," she began, pinching the bridge of her nose, "but I thought when I told you the mission I was going to give you was of top priority, you would at least be here within ten minutes of the meeting time." She let her hand fall from her face and slap on her desk. "I won't make the same mistake again."

Kakashi shrugged. Of course she shouldn't have expected more. In fact, she shouldn't have made assumptions in the first place. But he kept his thoughts to himself. "Well, I'm here now. What is it?"

Tsunade's eyes widened slightly, but the expression was gone in a flash. "That's right," she began sliding open numerous drawers to her desk, rifling through each one. Papers slid against the sides and pens rattled. "You and a fellow jonin will be traveling to the outer reaches of the Land of Fire to a town called Unon. There, you will be assigned as bodyguards to the Miyazaki family that resides there."

Kakashi groaned inwardly. Those sorts of missions were dull at best. Nothing ever happened because most of the time, the complaint was made because the man or woman was overly suspicious. In the end, whoever was assigned would be sent away after a week or two, receiving apologies for misspent time.

Besides, those sorts of missions were usually given out to chunins or to genins because they were so easily handled for said reasons. Kakashi could count all the times when bodyguards were actually needed on one hand.

"Why do I have to go?" He almost sounded whinny to Tsunade which made her irritable. She did not need a complaining copy nin.

"Because, we have reason to believe that this mission is indeed of high importance." Tsunade opened up another one of the desk drawers and pulled out a scroll. She handed it to Kakashi which he took without hesitation. "It seems that before the family had become a powerhouse in the trade industry, they were a lowly family of farmers."

Kakashi opened the scroll and read the stats of the family. Yes, they were only workers of the land. There was no history of any blood relatives of great importance, and their income was, well… He made more money in a month than they did in a year.

"So," he said, analyzing and compiling the facts, "you're saying that their position of power was obtained by other means."

"Yes." Tsunade pressed her fingertips together and rested her elbows on her chair. "It seems that the Miyazaki family had struck a deal with a gang not far north from Unon."

"A deal?" Kakashi raised his one visible eyebrow, trying not to sound too interested. Perhaps this won't be as dull after all, he thought. They always had to have a hook in them. They were what made them exciting. "What kind of deal?"

"We're not sure."

Well, so much for that.

"But that's the reason why we need jonins' to go." Tsunade's eyes narrowed and her muscles tensed. "We believe that there was an exchange of money on behalf of the gang. With this money, the Miyazaki name rose up and became what it is today."

"But," said Kakashi, putting his hand to his chin in thought, "money alone can't bring power. There also has to be some sort of…"

"Convincing." finished Tsunade. "We believe the gang had 'influenced' the rise of the Miyazaki family with force. So, we must assume that there is something big going on in that town."

Kakashi rolled up the scroll and slipped it into the pocket inside his vest, quietly thinking to himself. So, this family went from nothing to everything in what is, in business terms, almost over night. This gang must really want the Miyazaki name to spread.

"So you're saying you want me to go down there on this so-called 'bodyguard' mission, when in all actuality, I'm down there trying to figure out what is the deal with the gang and the Miyazaki family."

Tsunade smiled. Even though the silver haired shinobi could be almost insufferable at times, she had chosen him for a reason. He had a quick body and an even quicker mind. He would make sense of the claptrap. "Yes, exactly. But again, you aren't going alone."

Kakashi sighed quietly. While he supported the idea of teamwork heavily, a one man army would be best for this kind of thing. He could easily sneak around without having to worry about anything else. Then again, another set on hands could be helpful. He couldn't foresee any problems, but no one could ever be so sure.

"Okay, who is this fellow jonin?"

Tsunade looked at the clock at the far side of the wall. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "She should have been here twenty minutes ago…"

She? thought Kakashi. Quietly he searched through his brain, thinking of all the female jonin he knew. Ino? No, she's too inexperienced. TenTen? Hardly… Hinata? No, she would accept a mission if I'm going, she's too shy. Then, who could it…?

Then, it hit him. It was all so clear and it made perfect sense. But even knowing who she was didn't help quell the uneasiness in his stomach.

"Hokage-sama, I don't know if you know, but she and I didn't exactly leave on the best of terms…"

"Yes, yes, I'm well aware of the little spat between you two." Tsunade waved his worried words aside like an irritating fly. "But it's been so long, I bet she's forgotten."

Kakashi shook his head. Hardly…

_She slipped her foot into her other boot, buckling it tight. She adjusted her gloves, made sure she had everything she needed for a long trip, and sighed quietly to herself._

"_Well, I guess that's it."_

_Naruto and Kakashi stood behind her, watching her pick up her large backpack, hoisting it over her shoulder. Her forehead protector with the leaf insignia shone dimly in the poorly lit apartment. It mirrored everyone's moods._

_Naruto stepped forward, trying vainly to hold back tears. He looked at his long time friend, his heart pounding. It was going to be a long time before he would see her again and he didn't want to mess anything up._

"_Can I…" he started, hesitant. "Can I… hug you?" Naruto flinched, awaiting a flying fist straight towards his head. Instead, all he heard was laughter._

"_Oh course you can, stupid!" The girl dropped her backpack and flung her arms around the more than shocked jonin. But his mind soon came back around to the sense of things and his arms wrapped around her back._

"_Please come back." he pleaded. "Please come back. If you don't, I'll…" Naruto held her tighter, afraid to let her go. His hands bit into her green vest, clenching so tight it was almost if he thought she'd disappear if he moved the slightest bit._

_The girl in his arms was fighting with intense emotion as well. She had better control however and patted his back affectionately. "Don't worry Naruto, I'll be back. I promise." Slowly she disengaged herself from his grasp and smiled cheerfully. "Besides, the mission is only supposed to last a few months."_

_Naruto sniffed, doing his best not to look like a runny nosed child. "Yeah, I know." He sniffed again, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. "I know."_

_The girl gave him another smile and turned her attention to Kakashi who had apparently ignored her and Naruto's touching moment. Instead, he had pulled out _Icha Icha Paradise _and was thumbing through the pages lazily._

_The girl, slightly put out, held her hands out in front of her. Kakashi didn't glance up and instead continued to read. The girl flexed her fingers toward her, adding emphasis when she said, "Can I have a hug?"_

"_Hn." he flipped another page. She began to get frustrated._

"_Please?"_

_His eye darted across the words, taking them all in. It was a good issue, this one._

"_Kakashi-sensei…" Her voice wavered. She swallowed and stretched her arms out further. "Please, can I have a hug? I'm going to be gone for a while and…" she bit her lip and stared at the ground. "I'm going to miss you."_

_Kakashi sighed heavily and pocketed his precious book and stretched an arm forward. The girl was grinning widely, looking forward to his warm embrace. Instead, his hand fell on the top of her head and rustled up her hair a bit._

"_Good luck."_

_The girl blinked a few times, caught off guard. Then her eyes narrowed and she smacked his hand out of the way. Her fists curled into tight balls of furry. Naruto could see small tears form at the corners of her eyes. Her voice cracked. "Kakashi-sensei, even after all this time, you _still _won't give me a hug? I mean, dammit, I'm--" Her voice wavered again and she had to give herself a moment. _

"_I'm leaving on my first ever long term mission! I could come back all mangled and bleeding, or maybe I won't come back at all. And all you have to say about it is good luck?" The girl spun around, picked up her backpack and swung open the door. Her head whipped around and her tears had fallen and cascaded down her cheeks. "It's good to know that your _Icha Icha Paradise _is more important than your own student. So thanks." She left without another word, slamming the door behind her. The pictures on the walls rattled and off in a distant room, the two could hear something fall and break._

_Naruto turned to the silver haired nin, a frown on his face. Kakashi saw it out of the corner of his eye and he knew Naruto was disappointed. Very._

"_You could have at least given her a hug."_

At that time, Kakashi didn't know what was wrong with what he had done. Even until this day, he still didn't know. He had always rubbed the heads of his students as a sign of affection, so he didn't see any problem with doing that at that point in time.

But then again, it _was _her first big mission and he had sent her off without more than a 'good luck.' In a small sense, he too would have been disappointed, but not enough to make her as angry as she was when she left.

When three years had passed since the day she had slammed her door, he had regretted his decision of not hugging her. He began to think that the one single moment with them in the apartment was the last moment between them before she literally fell off the face of the planet. Grudgingly he began to accept the folly of his choice, but did not beat himself up over it.

So now he stood there, awaiting the girl he had so casually shrugged off, without much preparation.

"Hokage-sama?"

"Yes?"

"Please burry my body somewhere nice; perhaps a hilltop or maybe a field of green."

At that moment, the door to the office swung open and inside stepped a woman wearing a green flak vest, similar to the men's own jonin vest, but much more slimming. Underneath was a fishnet shirt and underneath that another white tanktop. Her black shorts were beginning to ride up, so the woman fixed them before anything embarrassing could happen

She was breathing heavily; her short hair clung to the back of her neck with sweat. She straightened and leaned back, popping out her spine before rolling her wrists a little.

"Sorry I'm so late Tsunade-sensei." she said, still catching her breath. She stepped forward and smiled bright, glad to see her blonde haired teacher once again. "My alarm went off late. I think something may be wrong with it. I'm going to go buy one later on today after you brief me on the mission." She sat down and rested her hands in her lap, completely ignorant to the ninja standing five feet behind her. "So, where's this partner I keep hearing about?"

Tsunade blinked at the woman's sudden appearance. Then she began to struggle for control over her laughter. He's right behind you! she laughed inwardly.

The female jonin watched as her sensei went though rather strange and awkward contortions of the face. Immediately she stood up and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay? Is something wrong?"

"N-No," managed Tsunade, her voice shaky. "I'm fine. Really. Actually, you're partner is already here."

The woman's eyes widened and she smiled wide. "Oh? Where?" She had been anxious when she had heard rumors of her being sent on another mission. She had just gotten back a few days ago and she was already behind hauled off to another area.

She didn't mind too much though. In fact, she loved it. She loved to travel, to fight, to experience it all. Besides, they always allowed a little of vacation time in between. Plus, the pay wasn't so bad.

"Yo."

The woman immediately froze. It had been a long time since she had heard that voice. A long time. But the memory associated with that voice was not a pleasant one. Her fists curled, her body turned, and Kakashi found himself staring down the finger of his former student, Haruno Sakura.

"You." she spat, pushing her finger even closer to his face, making him almost go cross eyed. "_You_ are my partner?" She refused to say his name, almost as if 'Kakashi' would make her tongue drop out of her mouth.

Kakashi smiled but onlookers could only tell by the slight crinkle around his visible eye. "Yeah."

Sakura whipped around and stared back at the blonde woman who was on the verge of cracking her ribs. "I refuse to work with this man!" she shouted, pounding her fist on the table to underline her point.

"Why is that?" asked Tsunade, her face clear and passive but her stomach was curling with laughter.

"Because!" yelled Sakura, throwing her hands up in the air as if it made all the sense in the world. "Because he's Kakashi-sensei!"

"I'm not your sensei anymore." cut in Kakashi but he was immediately silenced by a death glare from Sakura's sharp, jade eyes.

"What's wrong with Kakashi?" asked Tsunade, trying to draw the pink haired jonin's attention away from the cornered Kakashi.

"Well, let's see here!" she said, faking innocent pondering. "He's a pervert, he's lazy, and he's inconsiderate!" Kakashi heard her voice pick up in pitch as she continued to list all of his faults. At 'inconsiderate', he knew she was walking down the road of a past memory.

"He doesn't give words of advice, he refuses to put down his stupid _Icha Icha_, and he doesn't give hugs! He's--he's--" she sputtered, looking down at her fingers, trying to think of something else she could count on them. "He's just… KAKASHI-SENSEI!"

"I'm not your sensei."

Sakura gave him one last glare before she fell down in the chair in front of Tsunade's desk, completely spent. She put a hand to her forehead and tried to rub away the oncoming headache.

Any normal person who had heard so many insults hurled at them would be, at this point, not a happy camper. But Kakashi found it all very amusing. He was afraid, during a small point of time when she had suddenly waltzed in, she had changed. But when he saw (and heard) her spitfire attitude, he knew she was still the same Sakura who he had first seen seven years ago.

Now that she sat huffing and fuming, he could get a better look at her. She had changed. A lot. Her hair had stayed short, but it had gotten softer in color. Her eyes seemed much more deep, like a jade hue. Her features were sharper and more elegant in a sense. She was tall and built for fast movement and quick jabs. In the end, she had grown up. There were some things that hadn't changed and one of them was her manner. She was still quick to temper and hot with her words. He had learned from past experiences to not get in the way of a disgruntled Sakura because she would hurl words at you that would seem to, at times, hurt as much as a fist in the face.

Sakura had steadied her breathing and was now looking down at a stray string on the corner of her battered flak jacket. She picked at it idly as she looked up at the hokage.

"Doesn't matter, does it?" she squeaked quietly.

Tsunade shook her head, all laughter pushed aside. "No, it doesn't. Kakashi is the best man for this mission and you must learn to accept him, even for all of his… faults." Tsunade had the mind to not contradict what Sakura had identified as the copy nin's poor traits. In reality, they were what made him 'him' and were not flaws.

Sakura, if cross examined by an outer party, would be labeled as hot tempered, vain, overly talkative and nitpicky. These however were not defects in her personality but bits and pieces that made her who she essentially was.

"Well then, can you transfer me out?" she pleaded, twining the fingers of both her hands together, imploring her. Sakura did NOT want to be stuck with a man, who for the past three years, she had thought of as one of the most obnoxious, halfhearted buffoons to ever walk the face of the planet. That, and the fact that she had thought over one thousand ways of death she could inflict upon him; it would be almost too tempting if left alone on a lengthy mission.

"No Sakura." said Tsunade, ignoring her student's beseeching tone. "You have gone through a lot these past few years and have become one of the best kunoichi in this village. You are invaluable to this mission and cannot be replaced."

Sakura, if her head wasn't filled with thoughts of torture, would have blushed at the compliment. But she was so consumed by her rage she just gnashed her teeth together and fell back into the chair, crossing her arms together. "Fine." she grumbled, blowing a stray bang out of her face. "I'll go, but I won't like it!" she added on quickly, ending her tirade with a final sense of 'I still hate the man'.

Kakashi had taken the insults with ease. It was the actions that followed afterwards that had begun to sting. Is she so hateful of me that she doesn't even want to work with me? he wondered dubiously. Then, she had to go and say that last part, adding salt to the wound.

Kakashi scratched the back of his head, clearing his throat. Tsunade and Sakura looked up with wonder and disregard respectfully. "Perhaps this isn't the best of ideas." he started, doing his best to ignore the hot gaze that was Sakura's boring into the side of his head. "If a team cannot cooperate, then there is little hope for them. I believe this, er, discomfort, could lead to disastrous results." He cleared his throat again, feeling awkward all over. "So, could you reconsider?"

Tsunade leaned back into her chair and closed her eyes. Another headache was forming right behind her tear ducts and it was pulsing painfully. I swear, she thought with a bit of exasperation in her inward voice, these two are like children!

"I do not care what has happened between you two!" she suddenly snapped, making both Sakura _and _Kakashi flinch slightly. "There is no one else for this mission. No one." she stood up, her brown eyes flashing angrily. "I don't care if there's a blood feud between you two, you are going to go to Unon together and you are going to like it!" she moved forward with lightening fast speed and was soon hauling Sakura and Kakashi out of her office by the backs of their collars. "And if you two not being able to get along upsets the mission," she flung her hands forward and Sakura and Kakashi went sprawling on the floor, "you'd best kiss and make up because I DON'T CARE! Now, GET GOING!" She gave them one last glower and slammed the door to her office. Inside, one could hear obscenities being spurted out of the woman's mouth in sheer annoyance.

The two nin just sat on their aching bottoms for a moment, trying to sort things out. When both realized that they were indeed going to be sent on a mission together, they sprung up. Or rather, Sakura sprung up and Kakashi slowly pulled himself up off of the floor.

Sakura's eyes flashed and her finger was pointing at his face again. If his mask had been off and she was an inch closer, she would be picking his nose.

"This. Isn't. Over." she growled dangerously low before spinning around and stomping out sight. He heard a door slam in the distance and Kakashi knew she was safely outside, away from his tender body.

Kakashi immediately began to regret his actions three years ago. I wonder if there's a time traveling jutsu…

* * *

Sakura had made it to the middle of town when she realized that she had stormed out before being told of the mission. Immediately she felt very foolish and a hot blush of embarrassment stained her cheeks. I let my emotions get the best of me, she thought despairingly. And I don't think I can face up to Kakashi-sensei so soon after what I said.

During her time away, she had gone through many experiences. Some were good, other were bad. Some were covered in blood. But during the time when she had nothing to do, all she could find entertainment in was hateful thoughts towards her former sensei.

He's so stupid! She kicked her foot and a small cloud of dust rose from the point of contact. And insensitive! He couldn't even spare me kind words of encouragement…

Sakura had a sneaking suspicion that she was more hurt than angry at what Kakashi had done, or rather, what he didn't do. But it was much easier for her to handle anger than it was emotional pain because anger was easily taken out on her opponents or an unsuspecting tree. Emotional pain couldn't be removed in such a way.

Sakura stopped and found herself thinking of Sasuke. She had felt that emotional pain when Naruto had dealt the final blow, promptly ending Sasuke's life and suffering. Even though it was for the best, seeing he was so entangled in the dark force now as Orochimaru, she could still remember how much she had cried after his death.

I couldn't sleep for days, her inner voice whispered as she began walking. Inner Sakura was screaming _Of course you didn't! You loved him! Idiot! _

Sakura sighed and continued walking where her feet decided to take her. She found herself turning towards a familiar noodle shop, Ichiraku. She smiled knowing who was probably sitting there, slurping up endless quantities of ramen.

She pushed the hanging sheets of white away and sat at the farthest stool. A man turned around and the second he saw her, his eyes lit up. Sakura put a finger to her lips and he immediately understood her plan. He snickered quietly to himself and returned to preparing another dish.

Sakura looked down the counter and watched Naruto finish yet another bowl of ramen. He gulped down the food, sipped the last of the broth, and set the white bowl on top of at least a dozen others.

"Keep 'em coming!" he shouted, waving his chopsticks in the air like a baton, conducting the cooking process. The man smiled and poured another basket of dried noodles into a pot of boiling water.

Sakura smiled as her friend reached for another bowl, a seafood mix, and began scarfing that one down as well.

Sakura decided that it was time she struck.

She scooted over two seats and lightly tapped the blonde's shoulder. She could hear a grunt as he continued to eat and she knew she had his attention.

"I'm sorry, I forgot my money at home." she said, grinning. "Would you mind if I borrowed some?"

Naruto set down his bowl and gasped for breath. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a toad purse. He handed her a few coins and picked his chopsticks back up. "There you go Sakura." Then he continued eating.

Sakura was chucking, doing her best not to fall to the floor. She said a quick thank you, sat back in her original seat, and ordered.

It was a good thirty seconds before Naruto coughed up the ramen, sending noodles flying across the room, shrimp lodged in his throat, and broth to come spewing out of his nose. He turned in his seat, ignoring the noodle that hung from his lip and his now dirtied orange jacket.

"SAKURA?!"

Sakura turned lazily on her stool and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

Naruto lunged forward and plowed into Sakura, launching both of them into the street. Sakura was happy that Naruto was glad to see her, but the broth was bleeding into her clothes. She didn't want to walk around the rest of the day smelling like a fishmonger.

"Sakura, you're alive!" he picked her up and spun her around like a rag doll, crushing her back with his arms. While Sakura turned blue and gasped for breath, a small part of her mind registered 'he's gotten _strong_'.

Naruto, noticing his once previously dead friend gasping for air, set her down on the ground, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Eh heh… sorry."

Sakura coughed and beat on her chest, trying to get proper airflow again. Once alive and able to breathe, she glared at Naruto, putting her fists on her hips. "What are you trying to do, _kill me??_"

"No, I swear!" Naruto put his hands in front of him in self defense. "I was just…" His hands dropped and a very somber look fell on his features. Sakura watched with amazement as the matured and handsome Naruto gather tears in his eyes. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her in a tight, yet comfortable embrace. "Sakura… I'm so glad you're back."

Sakura was shocked at how quickly Naruto's mood had changed. But even with her quick glance, she knew he had matured greatly. Her hands wrapped around his back and she squeezed. "I'm glad to be back too Naruto."

* * *

Sakura and Naruto spent the rest of the day reminiscing about the past and all of their 'hijinks' so to speak. When Naruto questioned the mission Sakura had undergone, she cast her eyes aside and mumbled something he couldn't quite hear. He decided that she didn't want to talk about it and dropped the subject.

Instead he told her how he was doing. He was going out with Hinata, much to Sakura's pleasure, and told her the relationship was going so well, he was going to ask her to marry him. It was at this point Sakura truly did see that Naruto had grown up.

"Wow, I can't believe you're actually going to propose to her." said Sakura, her arm hooked around his in a friendly contact.

"Yeah," said Naruto sighing. Sakura could see a sort of silly grin spread on his face. He rubbed the back of his head, blushing slightly. "She makes me really happy. I can't see myself ever leaving her."

Sakura was green with envy. She hadn't met anyone who could make her feel that way. The last time she was in love, it had ended in horrendous results. Years afterwards, she had been in many relationships, but none of them had lasted for more than a month or two.

"You're lucky," she mumbled, feeling a sudden chill from the night air. Depressing thoughts began to cloud her mind and she slowly began to lead Naruto to the closest bar.

"Yeah, I guess I am." When the sounds of glasses clinking together and the smell of alcohol permeated the air, Naruto looked down at Sakura who refused to look back up at him. "Sakura?"

"I'm in the mood for a drink." she stated simply. She tugged on his arm and pulled him into the bar, fully intent on getting rid of the ugly feeling that was beginning to churn in her stomach.

The moment she stepped in, a shrill shriek nearly left her deaf. "Oh my god, Sakura!" A blonde haired woman sprung off her seat and wrapped her arms around Sakura's middle. The pink haired jonin knew exactly who it was.

"Hey Ino Pig." said Sakura smiling.

Ino looked up and shot her a smirk. She pulled back and put her newly manicured fingernails on her hips. "So Forehead Girl, where've you been?"

Sakura sighed and walked forward to the bar, Ino hot on her heels. She was aching for gossip and wanted to know what had befallen her pink haired friend while she was gone.

Sakura set a few coins on the table, putting her hand underneath her chin. "The strongest stuff you've got." she drawled, not caring about the look the bartender gave her.

"Comin' up." he said, picking up her money and setting about fixing her a glass. Ino sat down next to her, a look of worry on her face. Never before had she seen Sakura so despondent. "Hey girl, what's the matter?"

Naruto was also curious as to the abrupt change in his friend's attitude. He too sat down next to her and slung an arm across her shoulders. "Yeah Sakura, what's up?"

Sakura sighed and let her head sink to the counter. "I'm going to be alone for the rest of my life." she grumbled, pounding her head slightly on the counter.

Naruto and Ino exchanged glances and began to laugh. Sakura, seeing nothing funny about her plight, sat up and sent death glares at both of them. "Shut up. It's not funny."

"But it is!" giggled Ino, taking a sip of her already present glass of alcohol. "You just haven't found the right guy yet."

Sakura sighed as the bartender set down a clear glass with a brown tawny liquid inside. She took the glass and gave a tentative sip. Immediately, she coughed, tears coming to her eyes. "Augh! It burns!" The pleasant after tingle made her forget the initial pain and she took another drink, making a female guttural sound as it went down. "There isn't a man out there for me." she said, running a finger along the rim of the glass. "I'm going to die a lonely woman."

Naruto smacked his hand across the back of Sakura's head. Sakura immediately reacted and caught his wrist in a vice like grip. Naruto would usually be afraid at this point, but he was so dissatisfied with her words, he didn't care. "Don't try your angry look with me." he said, raising an eyebrow. "You deserved it."

Sakura stared at him and into his blue eyes. She dropped his wrist and took another drink of the powerful alcohol. What does he know? she thought.

Slowly as time passed by, more and more past acquaintances showed up, each one more surprised than the last by Sakura's appearance. By the end of the first hour, Naruto, Ino, Shikamaru and Choji were all crowded around Sakura, talking, chatting happily, and drinking as much as their purse would allow.

"…and then he said, "Why should I? I'm not your maid!"" The table thundered with laughter. Naruto was spitting up his sake while Shikamaru was grinning at his clever use of words. Ino slapped him on the back, her hand swinging like jelly.

"You're a funny one Shika-kun!" giggled Ino, hiccupping slightly. She suddenly felt very sick and excused herself.

Sakura felt very light and bubbly. All of her friends were by her, the night was beautiful, and she was so intoxicated, all of her negative thoughts were buried deep within her to be remembered another day (or in most cases, the next morning).

Sakura put her hands up in the air, waving them slightly. "Okay, okay, I-I've got a…" she burped, "a story."

The group of friends huddled together, awaiting a tale woven by colors and strong liquor. Sakura swayed slightly as she put a finger to her lips, recalling the memory.

"Right before I left--"

"Oh! Oh!" Naruto waved his hand up in the air. "I know this one!" He stood up to make his presence known. However, he stood up a little too fast and fell backwards out of his chair and to the floor.

"Shut up Naruto!" snapped Sakura ten seconds after the blonde had fallen unconscious to the ground. "This is my story! Now," she cleared her throat to add a deep atmosphere. "Before I left, I gave hugs to the people I loved."

Shikamaru slung an arm around Sakura, kissing her on the cheek. "I know, baby, I know. I got one of those hugs."

"I didn't give you a hug, stupid."

"Oh, I guess I thought I wanted a hug then."

"Anyways," Sakura pushed Shikamaru's hand away, "I gave hugs to the people I loved; Naruto."

"Wh-wh-wh…" Choji was trying to form words in his mouth, but his brain couldn't keep up with what he was trying to say.

"But you said people." Ino had come back and plopped back in her chair, putting her hands together and setting them under her chin. "Naruto isn't 'people', he's 'person'. You can be such an idiot Forehead."

"Shut up Ino Pig! I was getting to that!" Sakura took another drink, no longer feeling that burning sensation. All it made her feel was warm and fuzzy. "I _wanted _to give hugs to 'people'," she rolled her wrist back to let her hand flop for exaggeration, "but 'people' wouldn't let me."

"Well, who was this 'people'?" asked Ino, taking another drink.

Sakura dipped her head low and stared down into the brown alcohol before her. "Stupid Kakashi-sensei."

"So?" Choji took a large swig of Ino's drink, getting him a smack in return.

"So?" sputtered Sakura, slamming her glass down. "I leave on a mission that I may never return from, and he won't even give me as much as a hug?!" She slammed her fists on the table, teeth gnashed together. The alcohol could not negate the utter urge to kill the silver haired jonin. Higher and higher her anger rose until she was screaming. "That man is an unbearable ass who can't see beyond the pages of _Icha Icha Paradise!_"

As she rose to her feet, swaying slightly, her other drunk friends looked up with a bit of surprise. They had never heard such words come out of Sakura's mouth when it came to Kakashi. In fact, most of the time, she had always said things of kindness.

But it was apparent by her angry frown and flashing eyes there was something wrong between her and her former sensei.

She grabbed her glass and swung it out in front of her in a mock toast. "To Kakashi-sensei!" she slurred in a hardly suppressed rage. "May your bed always be cold and your balls always blue!" she tilted the glass back. Further, further, then she tipped backwards and fell to the ground, unconscious.

* * *

Kakashi was sitting around with his fellow male nin Guy, Jiraiya and Genma. Guy was the first one to initially call the meeting after seeing his downcast rival wandering around the streets without a single book in his hand.

"So my friend," said Guy, taking a sip from his sake cup, "what's on your mind?"

"My impending doom." murmured Kakashi, taking a drink of his own cup through his mask.

"Your impending doom?" questioned Genma, leaning back in his chair and putting up his feet on the table. "Some deep stuff you're thinking there."

Jiraiya poured himself more of the rice wine and downed the small cup in a single gulp. "What made you put yourself in that state of mind?"

"Sakura." groaned Kakashi, feeling a headache come on just at the sight of her anger twisted face in his mind. He looked down at his sake cup. All of his hopes lied within that cup. He downed it.

He was going to need more.

"Ah, your pinked haired student." said Genma, setting his cup in his lap. "So, she got back today?"

"Yeah," said Guy before Kakashi could get a word in. "The rumor is that her original mission had been extended due to complications. Did you know she was gone for a little over three years?"

"Wow," said Jiraiya, "that's way more than the average first mission should be, or any mission for that matter."

"So," said Guy, patting his friend on the back as he poured more sake into his cup, "why is she making you so glum?"

"Because," sighed Kakashi, taking another drink, "she hates me."

The men at the table broke into laughter. Kakashi ignored them and continued to drown his worries away. When Guy saw that Kakashi was less than amused, he held his hand up, signaling the guys to stop. "I don't think she hates you." said Guy, grinning. "I mean, you were her sensei for crying out loud!"

"Yeah," said Kakashi, swirling his cup, "but I screwed up."

The men went silent, each lost in their own thoughts. But their thoughts were similar without really even trying.

Glances were exchanged between them, each egging the other on to speak. No one wanted to say anything on threat of death by Kakashi, but they were so curious and the alcohol made their tongues so loose, no one could hold on much longer.

"Is it…" said Guy hesitantly, "I mean, did you… well, you know… pursue her?"

Whatever contents were in Kakashi's mouth were spat out and spewed all over Genma who promptly cursed and tipped back in his chair, taking the brunt of the attack.

Kakashi beat on his chest, trying to regain his breath. He turned around, his one eye wide and angry staring at Guy. "What are you, a dimwit?! I wouldn't try and go after my student!" And really, even through the haze of his slurry mind, the thought was preposterous and that was something considering Kakashi had drunk fourteen glasses of sake.

"I'm sorry!" Guy put up his hands in defense, obviously aware of how angry Kakashi was. "You know, it's just you can't count those kind of things out!"

Kakashi, getting rein back on his anger, turned back around and drank his fifteenth glass. "Don't say anything like that again." he murmured.

Genma was still cursing as he got up off the ground. He shot Kakashi a death glare, one that the nin didn't see or didn't care about, and sat back in his now upright chair. "Damn Kakashi, I hope you don't choke…"

"So then," said Jiraiya, doing his best to stray away from the ever worsening topic, "what did you screw up on?"

Kakashi sighed again, pouring another glass. But he had miscalculated and the sake was being poured onto the table, not into the cup. He quickly adjusted and began speaking. "You know, it was her first mission."

The men nodded. It was a big deal, the first mission of a jonin. It was a major milestone in the life of a nin and it was one that should always be treasured. A first mission is like the imprinting of a baby animal: your future is shaped deeply upon it.

"Well," he said, sitting back, "she was saying her goodbyes. And when she came to me, she wanted a hug." he looked at his glass, watching the liquid ripple slightly off the edges. "Well… I didn't give her one."

The men were slightly put off guard by this. On one hand, they were expecting something more dramatic, like an oath of revenge or the complete absence of his being. Although, in the other hand, a girl like Sakura relied heavily on her friends. During a time of emotional conflict, like the anxiety of her first class A mission, she would naturally reach out to those closest to her. That included her sensei. And when he refused to give her a hug…

That made it seem like he didn't care.

"Well of course she's mad at you." said Genma, now seeing the full picture of his downcast attitude. "You royally screwed up."

"But I don't get it." said Kakashi, becoming frustrated. "I said good luck."

The men rolled their eyes. Guy turned to his friend and slapped him on the back of his head. "That's like giving your lover a box of tissues for your tenth anniversary. You can't just go and do that. You need to think your actions, especially ones that involve Sakura, more carefully." Guy leaned back into his hair and crossed his arms. "No matter what she says, she really looks up to you. You need to be more considerate."

The men nodded in agreement and Kakashi felt cornered. Even his loyal companions were against him.

So, if he was going to have a reasonable trip with Sakura, he would have to be considerate. Well, he could do that. Maybe.

"Of course I can do that," he grumbled, "it's not hard." It was more to himself than anything. "But I still have to talk to her."

"Why?" asked Jiraiya, curious.

"Because, she and I are going on a mission." he said, taking one last drink before he decided if he had one more glass, he'd throw up.

"A mission together?" Guy stood up, knocking his chair to the ground. His eyes flashed and the fellow male nin's could swear the wind picked up around them. "This is the perfect chance to patch things up between you two!" He brought his finger down and pointed it at Kakashi. Kakashi dimly told himself that it was the third finger in his face today. This one was close to poking his hitai-ate into his sharingan. "You must… make up!"

Kakashi yawned and pushed his rival's finger out of the way, quickly ending the heroic moment. "Yeah, yeah, don't get your boxers in a bunch."

The men around the table laughed until they heard 'Icha Icha Paradise' being screamed from across the room. The men turned their heads and saw, at the far corner of the bar, Haruno Sakura wobbling on her feet, bringing her glass to a toast. She had gotten taller and much more muscular. Genma's toothpick fell out of his mouth and his eyes slowly widened. "Woah… That's Sakura?"

Guy and Jiraiya were both surprised. The vain pinked haired girl had grown into a strong, beautiful woman. The idea of Kakashi pursuing her didn't seem so farfetched anymore.

Now, however, she was speaking with slurred speech and trembling legs.

"To Kakashi-sensei; may your bed always be cold and your balls always blue!" Then, she felt backwards, unconscious. The glass in her hand fell to the ground and rolled across the wood. The people in the tavern hadn't noticed; they too were on the verge of collapsing.

The male shinobi however, did notice.

"Did she just say…?"

"Yeah…"

They were silent. Kakashi was on the brink of hyperventilating. His eye was wide as he watched the pink haired jonin snore softly. "I have to be considerate to _that?_"

Guy turned around, a mournful look on his face. He set an apologizing hand on his friend's shoulder. "Perhaps… it will be harder than expected."

Jiraiya and Genma broke out into laughter and Kakashi despaired.

"Well," said Genma, wiping a tear out of his eye, "we'd better bring her home. Her friends are so wasted they haven't even noticed she's fallen asleep." Genma stood up slowly as not to make himself sick and started towards Sakura.

"Wait." said Kakashi, also standing up. However, his steps were less steady than any of the others and his voice was not as strong as it usually was. "I'll… I'll take her."

Genma shook his head, laughing. "No way man. You're almost as bad as her! Look at you; you're about to collapse."

Kakashi was prepared to rebuttal his remark when he realized that he was, indeed, very smashed. So, without having any other option, he said, "Fine, we'll both take her. How's that sound?"

Agreeing, the two men went over to Sakura's snoozing body as Ino, Shikamaru and Choji were still laughing. Naruto still lay on the floor passed out. I guess he can't hold his alcohol, mused Kakashi.

Genma picked up Sakura while Kakashi paid the bartender for the drinks she had ordered (which was a lot. Kakashi had to search through all of his pockets to find enough money). Then, the two men were off, waving goodbye to their fellow friends.

Their footsteps against the gravel on the road were the only things heard besides Sakura's soft snoring. The cool air, much to Kakashi's pleasure, helped clear his mind and his senses. Soon he was walking as normal as he would every other day.

"So, where does she live?" asked Genma, shifting Sakura's weight slightly in his arms. She seemed thin enough, so he couldn't figure out why she weighed a lot. Must be muscle, he thought to himself.

Kakashi stopped, mentally smacking himself. "Damn…" he ran a hand through his hair. "I don't remember."

"You don't--" Genma would have punched his friend in the back of his head if he did not have an unconscious body in his arms. So, he opted for words. "I can't believe you. You really do need to work on your social problems."

Perhaps he did. Perhaps he had grown so accustomed to, over the years, the peace and solitude that was he, himself, and his shadow. He didn't do much anymore except irritating missions and reading his _Icha Icha _books. Did he really become so secluded?

"Well, no matter." said Genma, startling Kakashi out of his thoughts. "Where should we put her?"

Kakashi sighed and put a hand to his forehead. "Isn't it obvious?"

Genma shifted her weight again. His arms were getting tired. "No."

Kakashi sighed again and headed down the other side of the street. "Come on, we'll drop her off at my place."

* * *

Sakura's senses were filled with the smell of the outdoors and a pleasing musky scent. She snuggled in closer to its source and sighed with content.

"Reminds me of something." she mumbled as she turned around to get in a more comfortable position. "Like…"

Then, it all came back to her.

She was supposed to be in a bar, not a bed. There wasn't supposed to be blankets and pillows. The smells she should be smelling were supposed to be sunkissed peaches (according to her shampoo bottle), not the rugged forest! Immediately she shot up, knowing something was wrong. Then, just as soon as she reacted, she regretted it.

"Oh god…" she frantically looked around and spotted a trashcan near the bed. Immediately she grabbed it and retched.

"Awake I see."

Sakura looked up from the rim of the basket to see her sensei fully dressed and holding a piping hot cup of hot tea. He smiled at her and said, "Good morning."

Now, to most people, this scene would be one of comfort and happiness. The sun was just rising over the hills, birds were singing, and the sweet smell of morning dew wafted through the open window.

It was one of the worst moments of Sakura' life.

Kakashi watched as Sakura went from sick to a gaping fish. She sat there with the bucket in her arms, her lips trying to form silent words.

"I…" her voice came out in a small squeak. She cleared it and began again. "I am… at your house?"

Kakashi nodded and set down the cup of tea on the nightstand. "Last night at the bar, you passed out. I brought you back here because, well," he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I forgot were you live."

"You forgot where I _live_??" Sakura felt herself go hot with embarrassment because she was in her sensei's bed and red with anger because he had forgotten where she lived.

Where she lived dammit!

But she just sighed, shaking her head a bit. "I should have guessed." she said softly. Kakashi heard something in her voice he couldn't recognize, but he knew it was something negative. Maybe it was… discouragement?

He handed her the cup of tea, one that she took with a curt nod. She sipped it slowly, letting the aroma seep into her nostrils and sooth her mind. The headache however was a problem.

"Here." Kakashi held out another glass, this time filled with a red thick liquid substance.

"What is--?"

"For your hangover."

Sakura blushed furiously and she snatched the glass out of his hand. She looked down into it, eyeing its contents with apprehension. "What is this stuff?"

"Roots and herbs, the works." Kakashi watched as Sakura gave it one last sniff and tilted the contents of the glass into her mouth. She spat up a little bit, but continued to down the glass until it was gone. She smacked her tongue on the roof of her mouth, setting the glass far away from her.

"That was… disgusting."

"Yeah, it is pretty bad. It works though." He had relied on the 'hangover healer' countless times and the taste never got any better.

The room was very silent, neither person having nothing to say. Sakura set the trash can down on the floor and Kakashi thought of something to try and break the tension.

"Kakashi-sensei," started Sakura, looking down at the bed sheets. She spread her hand across the dark blue fabric, smoothing out any wrinkles.

"I'm not your sensei. What?"

"Thanks for… you know, letting me crash here." Even though you didn't remember where I lived, she added silently. In the end, she had to be grateful. It was better than her waking up on a cold wooden floor or worse… she shuddered at the thought.

"Ah, it's okay." said Kakashi, waving it away. "It was no big deal, really."

Sakura nodded, her attention still glued to the sheets. "And another thing," she said, picking off stray pieces of lint.

"Hm?"

"I need to know something."

"Oh?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow as he leaned on the doorframe. What could Sakura need to know? Was there anything he was hiding from her? He couldn't think of anything. Did he say something out of context last night? No, not that he could remember. That however wasn't saying much. "What's up?"

Sakura blushed and looked at him, smiling at her foolishness. "I ran out before Tsunade-sensei could tell me about the mission. Do you think…?"

Kakashi laughed, ignoring Sakura's sudden heated disposition. "Ah Sakura, you haven't changed much."

Sakura's eyebrows went down to a crease. She pushed out her lip slightly, giving her the image of a pouting child and looked up from under her brows. "What do you know?"

Kakashi chuckled as he moved to his closet on the other side of the room. He slid open the door and she could see that he didn't have much variety in clothes. At all.

"Do you wear the same exact thing every day?" she asked with disbelief.

Kakashi rummaged through the pockets of the vests hanging up until he pulled out a scroll. He shut the door and held it out to her. "I don't believe in a fashion sense. Just as long as I'm comfortable."

Sakura found all of these points to be valid reasons however she still believed someone should have at least a little variety. I'm not too shocked, she said to herself. She took the scroll and opened it quickly, scanning the paper.

"So…" she said after a moment longer, "we leave today for Unon. And we're going to be gone…" she looked down the page. Stats, no. Difficulty, no. Ah, length of departure…

"Six to twelve months!?" cried out Sakura. "But… But I just got back!" It isn't fair, thought Sakura. _Like hell it isn't! _cursed Inner Sakura. She was looking forward to a nice vacation on her return. She had it all planned out: sleep, eat, chat with friends. Sleep, eat, sleep. It all looked so good!

Kakashi watched Sakura roll up the scroll. She threw it at him and caught it like it was nothing. Then she fell back onto the bed, despaired. "Dammit…" she cursed, closing her eyes. "Not a single break…" she hit the bed with her fist. "Dammit!"

Kakashi felt bad for Sakura. If it has him in her place, he would be upset too. But Tsunade had said how important the mission was and how both were needed, so he knew she wouldn't back down.

Sakura groaned and swung her legs off the bed. She stood up slowly and stretched, popping out her back. As she rolled her shoulders she said, "I'm going to go home and get packed. I'll meet you down at the front gate at two o' clock."

Kakashi nodded and moved out of the way of the door so she could pass. As she passed, she had made sure that they had stayed fully out of contact and no eyes had met. This was when he realized that Sakura wanted to get out of his apartment as fast as she could. He could tell by her quick footsteps and her trembling fingers at the straps of her boots. He hadn't even gotten in a word when she was at the front door, giving him a curt wave.

"Thanks again." she murmured with a small nod. Kakashi nodded in return.

When the door shut, Kakashi sighed and went into the kitchen. He looked down at the tray he had prepared. It had his cup of tea, a plate of cookies and a bowl of fruit. It was set for two.

He dumped out the tea and threw away the cookies and fruit with more force than necessary.

--


	2. Start of a Journey

--

Sakura stepped into the shower, relishing the hot water that cascaded down her back. She squeezed a generous amount of shampoo into her palm and scrubbed her scalp furiously. It was going to be a while before her next shower.

After she was done, she stepped out of the steaming bathroom, shivering. "Damn it's cold. Need heat…" she went over to her fireplace in the front of the living room and threw a few logs in. She looked on the hearth for a small box of matches. She found them a few moments later and struck the stick across the box. She lit a piece of paper with it and shoved it far beneath the wood.

"There we go." she stood back up and practically ran back to her room, her wet hair still dripping. She threw open her closet, searching through her clothes. She threw on a big shirt before looking for anything else. "Nothing fancy." she reminded herself as she grabbed a few pairs of pants, a couple of black and blue shirts, socks and unmentionables. She stuffed them into her travel sized backpack, not caring if they got wrinkled or not.

She ran back into her bathroom and looked under her sink, rummaging through the countless baskets of body products. She pulled out a small bottle, snapped open the top and took a sniff. "I think this is it." Just to be sure, she unscrewed the lid completely and looked inside. "Yeah, definitely." She set the unmarked bottle beside her and grabbed two others, one of them clearly marked 'All natural two for one'. She grabbed a box with a bar of soap inside and finally, a loofah. She jumbled all of the cleaning products in her arms and went back to her room. She dropped them in her back gracelessly and looked back at it.

"Shirts, pants, underwear, bras, no-rinse shampoo, regular two for one, soap, scrubber…" she counted each on one finger. "Oh!" she snapped her fingers and went back to the bathroom. She rummaged under the sink again and pulled out a box with a bright, white smile on the front. She cracked open the top and pulled out what appeared to be a glove for a single finger. "Quick Brush," she murmured. Then, she pulled a brush out of her drawer. She threw those in her backpack too and counted her items again.

"I think that's it. I'm pretty sure Kakashi-sensei will get the food, but just in case…" she ran into her kitchen, fully aware of the heat that was now seeping through the entire apartment. She threw open her pantry and grabbed a small box of instant ramen. As she passed through the archway that lead to the living room, she flipped the switch to her coffeepot. It came to life, bubbling and gurgling.

She hummed quietly to herself, putting the food into her backpack. She went over to her dresser in the far corner and pulled open the second drawer. Inside were countless medical supplies. She picked up the largest box with a bright red cross on the top and shut the drawer with her foot. She set the white tin on top of the rest of her things in the backpack and peered down at her handiwork. Everything fit perfectly. She brushed her hands together, grinning.

"Well, I think that's it."

She began humming again as she went around the house, doing different chores while happily chatting with her mother. She had spent the first few hours of her return with her mother to catch up. Now she needed to tell her mother she would be leaving again.

"Don't worry Mom; it won't be as long this time." She threw her dirty clothes in her hamper, silently telling herself to go down later and wash them. "No, no, It's not dangerous…" she picked up a stray sock of the floor. "No Mom… No!" she swung the sock around in the air, frustrated. "I'm sure. Yes," she threw the sock into the hamper and shut it with a snap, "yes… No."

She went through her fridge and took out everything that had gone bad, tucking the phone between her ear and shoulder. Most she had gotten rid of or gave away before she left, but there were a few things that couldn't last three years.

"I'm positive." said Sakura, pulling open plastic drawers and getting rid of anything that was inside. "Besides, Kakashi-sensei is coming too." Sakura pulled the receiver away from her ear as her mother began ranting about how the man was a pervert.

"Going around, reading those sex books…" her mother continued rattling as Sakura picked up a moldy jar of jelly between her index finger and thumb. She threw it away and picked the phone back up.

"…clearly visible to the children..."

"Mom."

"…not even caring about…"

"Mom."

"…chuckling to himself as he reads…"

"MOM!"

After ending the conversation with her mom on a happy note (which took some effort) and tossing out a full bag of trash, she went over and poured herself some coffee. She sipped out of the mug as she ran a warm washcloth over the kitchen counter, getting rid of all the dust. She set down her mug as she threw the rag into her sink. She headed back over to the pantry as she pulled out numerous boxes of instant breakfast. "No…" a blue box was pushed out of the way. "No…" one with a happy cow was put on the top shelf.

"Ah, here we go…" A red box with a little girl with a steaming cup of something in her hand was set down on the counter. Sakura shut the pantry and picked up her mug of coffee again as she read the instructions.

"Water…boil… ten minutes…. dietary needs. Good enough." She ripped open a package without thinking and swore. "Water. Right."

She went through another set of drawers and pulled out a small silver pot. She turned the tap on and filled it about a sixth of the way. A quick turn of a knob of the stove and the grating came to life with a blue flicker. She set the pot over the flame and stared down into the water.

Two minutes later, it was boiling and she dumped the packet into the water. It bubbled and frothed as the ingredients hit the hot water until it was a dark green color.

"Wow, real appetizing."

She poured it into her now empty coffee mug and blew on it to cool it down. She took a hesitant sip, deemed it edible, and sat down at a table to read one of her medic books.

* * *

Kakashi pulled out his traveler's bag and threw a shirt and a pair of pants in. He threw in a few pairs of socks and seven pairs of boxers, each one as black as the last.

He went into his bathroom and grabbed a bar of soap from inside the shower. He grabbed a washcloth as well and threw those into his bag.

He went to his kitchen, opened up a cabinet, and gathered over two dozen packages of instant ramen in his arms. He wove his way through his kitchen, doing his best not to drop the giant bundle of food. He kicked open the door to his room and dropped them into his bag and pressed them down in tight. A thought came to mind and he decided to throw in a few packets of Quick Brush.

"Don't want to be scaring Sakura away with my breath." he mused to himself, throwing in one more for good measure.

Then, he sat down and read _Icha Icha Paradise. _

* * *

Thirty minutes after their actual meeting time, Kakashi walked up to the gate. Sakura stood there, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Where have you been?" she snapped, crossing her arms. On quick inspection of his being, she realized that his backpack looked _much _lighter than hers. Probably stuffed full with ramen, she thought.

Kakashi shrugged. "You know, here and there." He stopped in front of her and looked down at her, his eye crinkled at the corner. "So, you ready to go?"

"I've been ready to go." Sakura picked up her backpack off the ground and hefted it onto her shoulder. She tapped her toes into the dirt for good measure and sighed deeply. "This is it. Here we are on a mission together again."

"Mmhm."

Silence.

"Sakura, Kakashi-sensei, wait!"

Both turned their heads to see Naruto waving his hand wildly in the air, running towards them as fast as he could. He stopped in front of them, breathing heavily. He rested his hands on his knees. "Wait…" he wheezed again before collapsing on the ground.

"Geez Naruto." Sakura rolled her eyes and set her backpack on the ground. She picked up her blonde haired friend by the arm, dusting him off as he regained his footing. He flashed her a bright smile and hugged her around the middle.

"I heard you were leaving today." he said, squeezing her tight. "I also heard it's another long one."

"Yeah," Sakura sighed as she hugged him too. "I'm sorry we couldn't spend anymore time together." She truly was sorry. She had looked forward to talking with her friend again after such a long time.

"It's okay Sakura." said Naruto pulling away. "At least you won't be gone as long this time."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "Tell me about it." She looked at Naruto and smirked. "I don't think I could handle another three year."

Naruto laughed and looked up at Kakashi who was staring at the two. Naruto crossed his arms and frowned slightly. "So, you're her partner. When I heard the rumors, I thought they were just that; rumors. But here you are…"

"Yeah."

Naruto stared at him and Kakashi stared him back down. They were at a silent standoff, one that couldn't end without a victor. Well, that or with the influence of a pink haired jonin.

"We have to go Naruto." said Sakura, making Naruto turn his attention back to Sakura. "We have a long trip ahead of us and we need to cover as much ground as we can today before the sun sets."

Naruto nodded in understanding. He gave Kakashi one last look out of the corner of his eye, and gave Sakura one last hug.

"You be careful now."

"Yes mom."

It hurt to be separated again, but it was the duty of a ninja. Naruto knew it, Sakura knew it, everybody knew it. That was why there were no tears; only acceptance.

When Sakura and Kakashi disappeared over the horizon, Naruto headed back home. He was worried for his friend, but trusting of Kakashi. He had seen it in his eyes.

_I'll take care of her, I promise._

* * *

Awkward: Ill at ease or discomforting. That was what it said in the dictionary and it was what it was as they walked.

Sakura kept turning her head to see if Kakashi had pulled his nose from out of his book, but every time it was the same. Sakura groaned and rolled her eyes, kicking the dirt a little. He's still the exact same! she cried in her mind. _Doesn't even pay me a glance! _Inner Sakura scratched towards Kakashi, fully intent on ripping his book out of his hands and burying it.

Time passed and still neither one had said anything. Sakura occasionally checked the map to make sure they were on course while Kakashi still continued to read.

Sakura was trailing her finger along the small line on the map indicating the road when she heard Kakashi come up from behind her. Silently, she rolled back up the parchment and slowly turned around, staring up at the silver haired shinobi.

"What?"

Kakashi looked at her, watching her. Her eyes were shimmering bright with the sun and her hair was blowing softly in the wind. Her black shorts were smudged with dirt when she had accidentally tripped. The dark green vest was clean, albeit a bit worn around the edges. He could see the raised edges of items in her numerous pockets. Her skin glistened lightly and made her seem much more bright than usual.

"You've grown up."

Sakura was caught off guard. She hadn't been expecting him to say that. It sounded strange coming from him, almost like a warm wind in winter. Sakura unrolled the map and turned her gaze back to it, not wanting to look at him anymore. "So what if I've grown up?" she coughed and added, "It's not like it's a bad thing."

"I didn't mean it as a bad thing."

There he went again, saying things that were completely out of the character she had formed around him. She turned around, her fists gripping tightly onto the map, making it crinkle.

"That's our only map."

"Be quiet!" Sakura did however loosen her clasp. "Why are you saying these things?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just noticed."

The odd feeling that Sakura had been experiencing vanished. She gave him a smug grin and looked back at the map. "I should have known."

Kakashi was lost. All day he had waited for her to say something, anything, but hadn't even heard a peep from her. So he had decided to start off a conversation with a nice compliment. Of _course_ a compliment would turn against him.

"What did I do?"

Sakura ignored him and put the map back into her backpack. She picked it up off the ground and swung it over her shoulder with a small grunt. She began to walk and Kakashi stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. She immediately turned around and smacked his hand away. Her eyes were cold.

"Contact from you… is not allowed."

Kakashi visibly winced. He drew back his hand, but held her with his voice. "Sakura… what did I do?"

"It's what you didn't do Kakashi-sensei." said Sakura, her eyes lowering a bit. "It's what you didn't do."

As she walked away, he began to think. I think she does hate me, thought Kakashi bewildered. She sure can hold a grudge… As laid back as his inner voice was, his conscience was telling him otherwise.

* * *

Sakura unhooked her sleeping bag from her backpack and unrolled it near the campfire. Kakashi was already throwing in a packet of noodles into the boiling pot of water that hung over the bright flames. Sakura smelled the noodles beginning to cook and her stomach growled. "Maybe I should have had more than that instant breakfast." she murmured quietly to herself, sitting down on her worn mat.

Kakashi either ignored her or didn't hear, stirring the noodles in the pot with a set of chopsticks.

They hadn't talked a single time since the rest of their travel. Sakura because she didn't want to speak to him, and Kakashi because… well, Sakura could only guess he didn't want to.

Even though a week had passed since they started out, things were still unimaginably uncomfortable. So much so that Sakura had refused to eat anything he made. She had resulted to cooking up her pitiful excuse for ramen, finishing that off in the first few days. Afterwards, she resulted in eating the green instant breakfast she had, at the last moment, thrown into her backpack.

Hunger was far beyond the ability to control and she had grudgingly accepted the fact that yes, she had to eat what Kakashi made. True, she still refused to look at him or talk to him, but she _would _eat his food.

Sakura stretched out on her back, yawning slightly. She was glad that her muscles weren't aching yet and silently thanked her endurance training.

So, she thought to herself, watching Kakashi out of the corner of her eye, here I am with the man I have fumed over for three years. Joy. She frowned at him when he turned his head around to look into his backpack. She added a glare to her frown and wrinkled her nose. Obnoxious man.

Sakura froze when Kakashi suddenly turned around and looked directly into her eyes. His dark one caught her jade ones and she couldn't blink. Instead, she just turned around on her side, her back to him.

There was silence, then the scraping of the chopsticks against the side of the pot.

"You know, you can say something."

Sakura tensed up and turned around to face him with the best glare she could muster. "I don't have anything to say."

Kakashi sighed deeply and sat down on his mat, looking at her. Sakura stared at him, trying to keep her glare in place. But her eyes were beginning to hurt and she didn't know how longer she could hold the expression.

"What?"

Kakashi stared at her a moment more, then said, "Sakura, we're going to have to get along. I know you hate me, but--"

"I don't hate you."

It had come out without her even thinking about it. Sakura blinked and flushed red. She turned back around on her side, doing her best to ignore the silver haired shinobi.

"If you don't hate me, why won't you talk to me?"

"Because I'm angry with you." she stated simply.

Kakashi sighed again and stirred the noodles. He poured the contents of the pot into two bowls and gave one to Sakura, whose back was still to him. She sniffed and looked over her shoulder at the food. She quickly took it out of his hands and sat up, her back still to him.

Kakashi felt something in his stomach lurch. It wasn't a painful lurch, but a lurch that was the start of something bad.

He pulled down his mask and ate quickly before Sakura could turn back around. He didn't need to because she never did. After he finished, he set down the bowl and watched the back of Sakura's shoulder's move as she brought the bowl up to her lips.

She's gotten stronger too, thought Kakashi. Her muscles were defined in the light of the fire and were shadowed deeply. Occasionally the fire would crack and the dark would waver, but it always found its place back.

"Sakura?"

She had stopped eating and sat still, waiting for him to say something. Unfortunately, he had said her name without thinking and couldn't begin to string a thought together.

"Uh…"

"Spit it out." barked Sakura, impatient.

"I wanted to say…" Quick Kakashi, say something! "I wanted to say… I'm sorry."

Sakura snorted and continued eating. Kakashi was slightly put off at how quickly she had dismissed him and his words. "I mean it, I am sorry."

"You don't know what you're sorry for." grumbled Sakura as she tilted her head back to drink some of the broth.

Well, she had gotten him there, sort of. He didn't know why he had to say sorry, but he had been told the reason she was in a foul mood. And in a small sense, he could see his mistake.

No matter what people thought, he did have consideration of others, no matter how aloof he seemed. He did not go around the world ignorant of others. In fact, he was one of probably a handful of people that actually watched and absorbed their surroundings.

But when it came to this, to emotions, he was a bit inexperienced. Sure he had been with a woman or two, but relationships like that hardly ever lasted for over a night.

Staring at Sakura, watching her with rapt interest, he had the urge to just… Well, he couldn't describe it. Perhaps it was the need to be sociable and open with her. She had been with him for a very long time and every harsh word she said about him tore him up a little more inside. It made him feel heavy when she didn't want to talk to him, almost as if he was walking in someone else's skin. It was uncomfortable and highly unpleasant.

He wanted Haruno Sakura to be his friend. It was as simple as that. There was no beating around the bush. He wanted to be someone she could rely on. He wanted to be one of those shoulder's she could cry into. Watching her and Naruto made these feelings even stronger.

If I am to be considerate, if I am to have a comfortable relationship with this girl--

Young woman, he corrected himself.

-- I am going to have to get rid of these negative thoughts. An apology was a nice start.

"I'm sorry for not… hugging you." Sakura tensed back up and slowly turned around, her eyes slightly wider than usual. He knew he had hit it on the head. "You needed support and I didn't give it to you." he leaned back up against the tree and looked up through the canopy of leaves. He could barely make out the moon peeping through the dark green of forest. "And for that, I'm sorry. I will try to be more considerate of your feelings in the future."

There, he had said it. He had lain the founding blocks of his big sign that said "FORGIVE ME." It was a slow and almost lazy start, but it was a start none the less.

Sakura looked at Kakashi who was staring at the sky. Does he truly mean it? she thought bemused. Does he truly feel sorry? While most of her wanted to say "No, he's a lying inconsiderate dope", a small part of her wanted to believe what he had said.

She too wished for a happier relationship with him, but she couldn't get over the fact that he had knocked her down when she was cold and shaking with fear. That thought alone was what stuck her to her thoughts of anger and antagonism. It wasn't a memory she could just push away so lightly; it was almost a bruise on the pale skin of the memory known as Kakashi.

Kakashi watched Sakura loosen up a bit, but he could still see the guard around her. She's still angry, he thought a bit depressed. He did however, expect for a little more incentive towards his words to fix his past blunder. He knew it was going to take a while, but he had all the time in the world.

"Kakashi-sensei,"

"I'm not your sensei."

"Kakashi-sensei!" she started again. Kakashi was afraid he had pissed her off again, but he could tell barely, just barely, the slightest hint of a smile on the corner of her lips. "Even though there are a few things I am still upset about…" she rocked back on her heels and stood up. His eye widened slightly as she moved towards him. She sat down next to him with a plop and gave him a small smile. "… I do accept your apology."

Kakashi felt his breath come out easier and he gave a smile too. He didn't know if she saw it or not, but he didn't care. At least traveling would be a bit more bearable now.

The fire cracked and Kakashi and Sakura found themselves unable to begin a conversation. Everything was oddly quiet.

Sakura stood up and practically ran to her mat. "I'm just going to…" she pointed down at her sleeping bag and he nodded in acknowledgment. She unzipped the top and slid in between the cozy fabric. Immediately Sakura stretched inside her bag, smiling. "So comfy." she mumbled as he tucked her arm underneath her head. She shuffled a bit more, then said, "Wake me when it's my turn to keep watch."

Kakashi pulled out _Icha Icha Paradise _and turned to the page he had last read, already taking in the words. "No, you get your rest. I can pull an all nighter."

Sakura, not one to complain about extra sleep, stretched again and snuggled her head closer into the crook of her arm.

"Goodnight Kakashi-sensei."

I'm not your sensei, Sakura. "'Night."

* * *

Sakura's day had started out great. She woke up fully refreshed to a beautiful morning. Food was already over the fire and Kakashi had given her a sociable "Hello." She had enjoyed her food, thanking him for making it, and begun to pack everything up.

They had continued on, still not talking much but enjoying each other's company. They had passed an older man driving an ox cart who gave them apples out of the back. They were bright red and delicious. Sakura had bitten into hers and nearly died at how sweet it was.

Then, it rained.

And rained.

And rained.

And rained some more.

"It isn't fair!" she screamed, soaking wet and miserable. At first, the rain wasn't so bad, but it had gotten heavier and heavier until lightning was flashing and thunder shook the ground. Her right shoe was covered in mud (or what she hoped was mud) when she had stepped into an unsuspecting puddle. Her vest was hanging heavily on her. The medication bottles in the pockets were running their ink due to the water. The whole front of her was covered in red and blue dye.

In short, she was a drenched mess.

She shook her fists at the sky, her fingers colored as well when she had checked her pockets. "Dammit, why?!"

Kakashi, just as wet as her, watched with amusement at Sakura's small spectacle. He had been in many storms and by far worst ones. But this one was unique. It wasn't cold, it was humid. The raindrops were fat and their temperature was like bath water. Everything smelled deep and heavy, like a sauna. And the lightning was a beautiful show.

"I believe," said Kakashi, still watching Sakura cursing the heavens, "we should get out of the rain. We need to dry off or we might freeze to death later on tonight."

So, defeated by the sky, Sakura trudged behind Kakashi who was steadily searching for a place to bunk.

They were not lucky. The best source of shelter was an outcrop of rock that barely fit three people. It was low and it hung over the pine covered ground like a foreboding shadow. On further inspection, if one were to wiggle their way through the small space between the rock and the ground, they would find themselves sitting in a dug out pit that went back a meter or two.

"Looks like it used to be an animal den." Kakashi peered in and gave it the once over. "It'll serve as a place to ride out the storm."

Both of them began taking off their gear, including their vests, and shoved them into the small grotto. Sakura was the first one to slide in, hanging onto the outcrop of rock as she slowly made her way down on her back. It was a close call and she nearly scraped her chin, but she made it.

"Woah!" she cried out as she made an uncalculated landing. She fell ungracefully on her bottom and looked up at the stone above her. "Hey Kakashi-sensei!"

"I'm not your sensei."

"Shush it! This place is bigger than it looks. The dirt has been dug out in here. Once you make your way in, you'll see what I mean." Sakura watched as her sensei's sandals appeared first, then his hips, then he slid in. His eye widened slightly as he too fell, but he caught himself before anything embarrassing could happen.

"Well, would you look at that, it is bigger."

Indeed it was. Even at Kakashi's height, his hair couldn't even touch the top of the rock (but it did come close). On the outside, it looked to be a poor shelter. On the inside…

"Me, Naruto, you and two others could fit in here!" Sakura exclaimed as she stretched her arms out. "Lucky score!" _Cha!_

Then something came to mind. Slowly, she reached up to touch her back. It was covered in mud and pine needles. "Dammit, just when I thought everything was perfect." she brushed off the dirt as best as she could and settled down onto the ground, resting against her backpack. Kakashi had already made himself at home, leaning against his own backpack and reading _Icha Icha Paradise._

Sakura listened to the storm roll outside their small shelter. Away from all of the rain, she could truly enjoy the natural music it made. Slowly, she felt her eyelids get heavy until she fell into a light sleep.

* * *

The sound of a pot banging and a slight curse woke her up. The natural light of the day was replaced by a yellow orange glow. It welled in from the small opening outside and flickered against the stone inside. Sakura rubbed her eyes a little and stood up, peering outside.

Kakashi was working on fixing their food over a fire he had built outside. Sakura could see a small pile of noodles on the ground and she realized what the curse had been.

"Spill, did you?"

Kakashi looked up to see a matted hair girl slide up and out of their hole. He stirred the new noodles in the pot, thumbing in the direction of the woods. "A stray dog came in and knocked it over." he gestured towards the paw prints. "I think he may have been from Unon. We're close."

Sakura nodded and crouched down on her feet, not wanting to sit down and get her butt wet. She looked up to the dark gray sky and was reminded of the rain. Immediately she became self conscious and wrapped her arms around herself. "Man, I must look like a mess."

"I'm sure both of us do."

Sakura repressed a snort. Hardly, she thought. He looked exactly the same; his hair was still clean, his clothes tidy, and he had the all around air of self maintained masculine beauty.

"Sometimes I hate you."

Kakashi laughed at her words knowing she was only kidding. "Why's that?" he questioned, pouring himself a bowl of noodles.

"Because you look good without even trying." said Sakura, serving herself as well. She slurped up a large mouthful of noodles before adding, "I have to really try to look nice. You just…" she swished her hand aside, "do it without even thinking."

"Thanks for the compliment Sakura," chuckled Kakashi, "but I took a quick rinse before you woke up. Even I have my standards and being covered in mud doesn't approve with me."

"A rinse?" Sakura stood up, her eyes flashing. "Where?" Falling asleep underground was not a good thing. Dirt was all along her back, her hair was like a bird's nest and she couldn't begin to think of how many bugs could have gotten down her clothes.

"Down there a few meters," he gestured off in the distance behind the large mini mountain of rock that made their roof. "There's a small hot spring. It smells pretty bad being there's a lot of sulfur, but once you get pass that, it's a pretty good bath."

All Sakura had to hear was 'hot spring' and she was scrambling down into the hole for her shampoo and soap. She couldn't find her loofah (it was in there, but she didn't bother to look) but it was okay. She grabbed a change of clothes which had dried thankfully, and hung them over her shoulder.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, looking at Sakura. "I said a rinse, not a spa treatment."

"I have the time." retorted Sakura before turning her nose up at him and heading down to the hot spring. Kakashi shook his head and ate his noodles.

Sakura immediately saw the steam welling up from the crag of the rock. The hot spring was indeed small, only meant for one person or a pair of lovers. She immediately stripped and slid into the water, sighing in content. "So good…" the water eased her muscles, the hot steam opened her lungs and most importantly it got rid of all the grime.

She sat back and relaxed, listening to the sounds of the forest. The hot spring bubbled softly, hissing on occasion. Indeed the air did smell a bit foul, but all that mattered was that she was clean. She scratched at her nose, making the small bug fly away. "Hope that wasn't a mosquito."

Her eyes still closed, she dragged her dirty clothes into the water and began washing off the dirt. She worked out the brown smears as best as she could until they were a clean, wrinkled mess. She left them floating in the water before taking them back up again and rubbing them down for good measure.

After another moment of laundry and relaxing, she decided it was time for cleaning. She grabbed her tiny bottle of shampoo and squeezed a dollop of it into her palm. She massaged her fingers into her head, breathing in the clean scent it gave off. She dipped her head underwater and rinsed herself clean of the environment friendly shampoo. Then she picked up her bar of soap and worked it into her skin. As she did this, she began to fantasize.

Someday, she thought as she moved the bar down her arm, I hope the man of my dreams cleans me up like this. She sighed and gripped onto her bar of soap like a bride would to a bouquet of flowers. Someday perhaps I can meet this man and…

Naughty thoughts filled her head and she blushed furiously. Inner Sakura was cackling evilly. She scrubbed the bar of soap into her skin hard as if trying to get rid of her dirty thoughts. "Bad Sakura," she scolded herself as she moved to wash what was underneath the water, "don't think like that. You'll end up like Jiraiya-san." She rinsed the lather on her skin slowly, her smile fading away.

"Getting chilly." she said, dipping her body further into the water. Her feet tucked under her bottom until she was up to her nose in water. "And late." she looked up at the sky, the clouds growing darker.

She put a finger through her hair, grimacing. "I think I need more shampoo." she said to herself. She reached for her bottle.

With a flick of her wrist, her hand changed course and dove into her bundle of clothes. She withdrew five shuriken and sent them sailing across the clearing in front of her. Three of them embedded themselves into the trees. The other two found their marks.

Their was a grunt and the man she had sensed two minutes before fell out of a tree a few meters ahead of her. The first metal star was in his arm while the other had made its mark in the middle of his head.

Sakura shivered. This man had been watching me while I bathed, she thought as she stood up after checking to see if she could sense anybody else. I wonder how long he was there.

No longer in the mood of a bath, she slipped on her extra change of clothes, gathered her belongings, including her other soaked clothes, and headed back to camp.

Kakashi was already standing up and looking at her with his arms crossed. Sakura passed by him and set her stuff on the silver haired jonin's sleeping bag, not caring if he cared.

"Where's the body?"

"By the spring." said Sakura nonchalantly as she spread out her soaked clothes on the outcrop of rock, hoping they would be dry in the morning.

"Did you search him yet?"

"No."

"Did you touch him?"

"No."

"Did you spend at least more than a minute of your time with him?"

"If by meaning me stalling for time as I reached for my weapons, then yes, yes I did."

"Sakura?"

"Yes?"

"I understand."

As he walked away to check the man's body, the pair of shorts she was holding slipped out of her hand. He had read her so easily. He knew how disgusted she had felt when he had spied on her. He _knew _how badly she just wanted to get out of the area.

Kakashi knew more than he let on.

* * *

Upon his return, Sakura had finished tidying up the area and had set her sleeping bag on the ground outside by the fire. The dirt around the open flame had dried enough for her to comfortably lie down without getting soaked.

Kakashi sat down slowly and looked at the fire. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "No identification of any kind." he said. He dug down into his pocket and pulled out a ring. He tossed it to Sakura who caught it easily. "This is the only thing I found that was remotely useful." She held it up to the light to get a better look.

It was a man's ring; thick and silver. The head of the band at a small design. It looked like a dog, but she wasn't sure.

"It's a seal ring." she said, turning it around in her fingers. "I haven't seen one of these in a really long time." She had learned in her history class a long ways back that aristocrats had sealed their letters with wax. Usually they wore a ring on their finger that had their house seal on it. They would press it into the hot wax and 'voila,' a letter safely sealed.

"What do you think he's doing with a seal?"

"I don't know." said Kakashi, putting his hand up. Sakura threw him the ring and he caught it with a snap. He put it away and pulled out _Icha Icha_. "We're going to have to wait and see if we can find anything that might relate to this man. In the meantime," he looked up from his pages, "you need to get sleep."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but a yawn came out instead. She fell back and put her hands beneath her head. "You know," she yawned again, closing her eyes, "the more you do, the more useless I feel."

Sakura was the type of person that, when assigned, completed her task without fail. On a team mission, she strived to put her full effort into her tasks. When she sat around and did nothing, it went against all she did (or perhaps didn't do).

"Don't worry over it. I don't mind taking watch." as if to make his point, he relaxed down on his sleeping bag and turned another page. "Besides, I think you did enough today."

Sakura looked at Kakashi, trying to read his thoughts. He was as passive as ever, not a single emotion flickered across his eye. She gave a small sigh and turned on her side. "Fine. But I keep watch next time."

"Hm."

Sakura soon fell asleep. When her breathing slowed, her chest falling up and down evenly, did Kakashi put away his book and stare at the sleeping nin.

He had been scared. When he heard the swish of weapons, the gurgle of death, he had jumped to his feet. His blood had run cold and he had feared the worst. His mind had shut down, his mouth gone dry. He felt disgusted, angry, and above all else, downright terrified.

The amount of relief he felt when she stepped into the clearing was like a fresh breath of air. His heart had stopped constricting and his muscles relaxed. When she stepped forward, he had the strangest of urges to run to her and bury her in his arms.

The fire popped and cracked, startling him out of his thoughts. "Need to stay focused." he pulled out his book, comprehending only half the words. His ears were trained on the environment around him. No enemy ninja would enter their campsite without his knowledge ever again.

He was tired, but he wouldn't admit it. The overpowering urge to protect and watch Sakura wit his life dominated his needs.

But, after awhile, his eyes began to droop. The lines on the book began to blend together. Soon, he was fast asleep.

* * *

When Sakura and Kakashi woke up (Sakura teased him mercilessly for falling asleep), they set around to packing up. While Sakura took care of the fire, Kakashi went down into their grotto and pulled out their supplies.

Sakura, hungry, dug through the shinobi's backpack for a packet of ramen. "Let's see what we have here. Original… Original… Oh look! Original!" She dug furiously around in the pack, tossing out the original flavored ramen. As she looked, her hand brushed across soft fabric. "Wha?" she gripped and pulled up. It took a minute to unfold whatever it was, but when she did…

"Oh!"

"Sakura," grunted Kakashi as he pulled himself out of the hole, "most of your stuff has dried. We can leave when… Why are you holding up my underwear?"

In Sakura's hands blew Kakashi's black boxers. Sakura froze, staring at her former sensei like a deer caught in the headlights. She gulped and quickly shoved them back into his bag. She turned around and continued digging through his backpack, trying to ignore her flaming face.

Kakashi was overly amused. Seeing Sakura so embarrassed made him want to play a little game. "So, are you finding anything else to your liking? Perhaps my socks or maybe you're going for my soap. Do you want to smell like me, Sakura?"

"Shut up." grumbled Sakura, still sorting through his pack. "I wasn't looking for your underwear. I was looking for a different flavored ramen."

"Oh, was that it?" Kakashi chuckled and set down her things beside her. "Whatever you say…"

"I mean it!" The bag of ramen in her hand was crushed to tiny pieces. The plastic split open and the crumbs littered all over the ground. Sakura looked down at her hand and groaned. "Ah, beef flavored…" Her stomach growled and she stuffed the trash back into his bag. "Guess original will do."

Kakashi was still laughing. The sight of her holding up his underwear, inspecting them like a scientist would a formula was too funny.

"I'm not going to let you live that down."

"I know." her voice was flat and unenthused. She dumped the ramen into the pot and watched it bubble. "Just don't talk about it around any hot guys, alright? Do you know how badly that would tarnish my reputation?"

"You have a reputation?"

"Shut it."

"I'm just saying--"

"_Shut it._"

* * *

Following the map, they were lead to a worn out dirt road. Off in the distance was the sound of running water.

"The river is up ahead." said Sakura, looking over the slightly wet map. Some of the ink had run, but it was mostly legible. "Once we pass that, we should reach Unon." She squinted her eyes and pulled the map closer. "I think there used to be a small town near the river. We might want to check it out."

"No time." said Kakashi, turning another page of _Icha Icha Paradise_. "We're late enough as it is."

Sakura shifted her backpack and moaned. "Yeah, I guess so." They were a little late, but not much. It wasn't as if they could wait a few more hours.

Having nothing else to do, she decided to pester Kakashi. It had been a long time since she had bugged the man. She slowly walked her way closer to Kakashi who was deep within the pages of his book.

"So, what are those books about anyway?"

Kakashi spared her a quick glance before turning his attention back to his reading. "Nothing a little girl needs to worry her head over."

"Little girl!" Sakura practically screeched. Kakashi rubbed his ear, her voice nearly breaking his ear drum. "I am not a little girl!" Just to spite him, she lunged for the orange backed book. Kakashi merely side stepped out of the way, causing Sakura to fall forward. Her arms pinwheeled and she cried out.

"No falling now." Kakashi hooked his hand around her collar and caught her at a forty five degree angle. "We wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"Hrmph." Sakura pulled herself away from the man who constantly threw her into a state of embarrassment. She straightened her clothes and glared at him. "You do that on purpose."

"Do what on purpose?"

"Constantly make me look stupid."

"Now," chided Kakashi, looking up from his book in mock scorn, "I don't do that."

"Yes, you do! You constantly embarrass me!"

"Oh well, I do that on purpose."

Sakura was seconds away from lunging at the silver haired shinobi and tackling him into the ground when she suddenly stopped. Kakashi heard the sudden halt of her footsteps and looked up to see what the matter was. Immediately he cursed and pocketed the book. "Damn…"

The river had flooded, probably from the previous night of rain. Down below on the small hill they stood on, they could see where the bridge was supposed to be.

It was completely submerged underwater. Debris floated down the white water river, occasionally bumping against the shore which was supposed to be the road. The water was white with the amount of speed it was moving with. It was almost a deafening roar.

Kakashi cursed again and Sakura shook her head in disbelief. "We can't cross that! The river was big enough as it was, but now…" she shook her head again, dropping her backpack. "This is just _wrong_."

"We can't cross in boats." Kakashi was going through their options. "A makeshift bridge won't work; there isn't anything to tie down on. And jumping across…" The thought itself was meaningless. "I guess there's only one thing to do."

Sakura turned around and looked at her former sensei. "What?"

"Go to that small town you were talking about, of course. We'll bide our time there until the waters recede."

* * *

River's Bend was a small town that used to be a major area for fishing. That was until Unon took over. Ever since then, River's Bend had slowly lost money until they were nothing but a run down town.

That was, until the flood came.

As Kakashi and Sakura entered the town, they looked upon the sight of refugees. Dozens of people sat on the sides of the street with what belongings they had. Children were wildly screaming and running around the middle of the road. Mothers were using what money they had to purchase food from the small grocer at the end of the street. The grown men and boys were nowhere to be seen.

As the duo walked by, they were stopped by a large man. He had a head of long curly brown hair and had a long beard that hung to his gullet. He had wrinkles around his eyes and forehead, indicating many years of expression. "Are you refugees of the flood?" he asked with his deep booming voice.

"No." said Kakashi, stepping forward before Sakura could answer. "We are travelers from the south. We had originally come up here to travel to Unon, but it's obvious we aren't going any further."

The big man grunted and pointed to Kakashi's hitai-ate. "You're a ninja then?"

Kakashi looked up lazily. "Yes, I suppose I am."

"And your lady friend? She one too?"

"Yes, I am." said Sakura, stepping forward. "I'm Komegawa Sakura and this is my brother, Komegawa Kakashi."

Kakashi immediately played into his role and took the man's hand. "Nice to meet you, even under such unfortunate terms."

"It's all right." said the big burly man. "My name is Hasugo Hitoshi. I'm the mayor, sheriff and judge of this small town." A young woman stepped up from behind and softly pocked the big man's back. He turned around and gave her a warm smile. "What can I do for you?"

"I-I'm sorry…" she spoke softly and with reverence. "The food… when is it coming?"

"It will be here soon." assured Hitoshi. The woman bowed and went back to her daughter who was complaining about her stomach. The man turned back around to face Kakashi and Sakura who had watched the scene with interest. "You see, River's Bend isn't meant to support so many people." The man had begun walking down the street and the two nins followed behind. "There have been a few floods recently and each time we get more and more refugees. Last night was a particularly bad one; all of the small irrigation farms went under water. Their families made their way here. Unfortunately, we don't have the supplies or room to facilitate all of these people as of late. We're running low on food and we didn't really have a lot of food in the first place. Plus, the men are busy with rebuilding the docks and buildings, so there isn't much muscle around here."

Sakura passed a small boy who was cradled in his mother's arms. Her eyes widened when she saw the bandaged bloody stump where his arm used to be. The young mother looked up, trying to find pity in Sakura's gaze.

"It's horrible…" Sakura slowly inched her way closer to Kakashi who continued to listen to Hitoshi.

"We're trying to figure out our food problem. Stores are running low and we can't supply buyers with what they need." He rubbed his head with his palm in frustration. "Fish was our main source of food, but now that the docks are destroyed and the river is out of control, we have nothing."

"So," said Kakashi, bringing his hand to his chin in thought, "you have no other source of food. Surely you must have something else. People can't live off of fish alone."

"Well," said Hitoshi, stopping abruptly. Sakura nearly ran into him. "we do have stores of kimchi."

Sakura's face twisted in disgust. Kimchi was a fermented cabbage that was placed in a pot and buried deep underground. It sat there until all of the spices and vinegars soaked into the vegetable mixture. It came out strong and extremely spicy. However, it was a staple amongst families.

"But we can't get to them." continued Hitoshi. "They're buried under layers and layers of mud. We don't have the manpower."

Sakura felt bad for Hitoshi. He had been suddenly thrust into something that very few people could handle. What was worse, he was doing it by himself. Sakura felt resolved and needed to help this kind looking man.

Sakura looked up to Kakashi who was already looking down at her. He could hear the aggravation in his voice. "Sakura…"

"Come on!" she urged, tugging on his arm a bit. "They need our help. We can't just leave them to starve. Besides, we have nothing better to do. We aren't going to Unon any day soon so we might as well spend our down time wisely."

Hitoshi had overheard Sakura and had turned to face them. Even though his chest was puffed out and his arms were flexed, Kakashi could see the desperation in his eyes. Over to the side, another child began to cry for food. His mother had tried to soothe him, patting his head gently. Another girl was crying for something to eat and the mother assured her there would be something in the morning. Kakashi felt utterly trapped.

"Fine." he heaved a sigh. "We'll stay and help. But once the river goes down, we're crossing."

The big burly man's eyes began to water. He reached out and grabbed Kakashi into a back snapping hug. "Thank you Kakashi-san!" he bellowed. Kakashi did his best to stay his typical stoic nature, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult with his back breaking. He let go eventually and Kakashi immediately backed up, rolling his arm in its socket. Hitoshi turned to Sakura who immediately clung to Kakashi in fear of a hug of devastating effects.

"And thank you young lady." he said with a big smile. Sakura was briefly reminded of a large bear with a silly hat she had seen in a children's book. The bear at first was shunned and hunted by society, but all he wanted to do was bring laughter and joy. Hitoshi stood up to his full height and spread out his arms. "How am I to repay your kindness?"

"A place to sleep is all we ask." said Kakashi with a kind hint in his voice.

The big man scratched at his beard in thought. "That's a hard demand to fill, but fill it I shall! Come, follow me to the inn."

The inn was filled with the lucky people who had gotten a room. Hitoshi stepped forward and clapped his large hand on the counter. Immediately, an older woman stepped out from the back room, her hands busily drying themselves on her apron. "What can I do for you Hitoshi?"

"Hello Ume. I need my room to be given to these two over here." said Hitoshi, pointing. The woman looked them over with a crucial eye, still rubbing her hands furiously.

"Why do you want to give your room to these two?" said Ume, dropping her apron and putting her hands on her hip. "They don't look like much."

"These two are ninjas Ume. They're going to help us with the food storage by unburying the kimchi pots." The big man pushed Kakashi forward with a big hand. "These here is Komegawa Kakashi and behind him is his little sister, Sakura."

Ume looked them over. Sakura squirmed under her gaze while Kakashi stood impassive. With a brisk nod of her head, she pulled out a large book with many names inside. She scribbled out Hitoshi's name and wrote down Sakura's and Kakashi's. She closed it with a snap and pointed up the stairs.

"Yours is on the very end. Hitoshi will show you around. You have the key, don't you Hitoshi?"

"Of course I do Ume."

"Well then," she waved her hand towards the direction of the stairs, "get going then!"

Hitoshi turned to Sakura and Kakashi when Ume had disappeared. "She really is a nice woman. She's just a bit stressed. It's been a while since the inn had been really busy. Come on, I'll show you to your room."

The stairs creaked under Hitoshi's weight so much Sakura was afraid they would fall through. They made it though and walked down the tattered, paint-peeled hallway to the last door at the very end.

Hitoshi pat his hands along his pants and chest. "Where'd I put that dang key…? Aha!" he pulled it out triumphant and slid it into the lock. With a quick twist, the doorknob clicked and Hitoshi stepped aside. "Here ya go." he grinned and handed the key to Kakashi who took it with thanks. "I don't think I need to show you around." He turned around and said one more thing. "I'll see you in the morning by the front gate."

Both nins waved goodbye until his body disappeared down the stairs. Sakura grinned and cracked her knuckles.

"Let's see what kind of digs we have, huh?" She threw open the door and peered inside. "One bed, but a big bed!" It had to accommodate Hitoshi! she thought with a giggle.

Speaking of Hitoshi…

"Where do you think Hitoshi is going to sleep now that we have his room?"

"I don't know. He will probably stay with a local family. He seems to be very well respected in this small town." answered Kakashi from inside the bathroom. He came out with two towels in his hand. He tossed her one.

"What's this for?"

"There isn't a shower." he said, swinging the towel over his shoulder. "My guess is that the small building in the back of the inn is the bath house. If you want to wash up, you'll have to head down after me. I'm sure it will take the room key to get in."

Sakura nodded and lay back on the bed. "I'll be waiting them for you to finish. You better not take too long."

Kakashi picked up his bag and opened the door. "Will do." Kakashi gave her a backward wave as he left, shutting the door behind him with a click.

Sakura closed her eyes and sighed, knowing that Kakashi was going to be back much later than anticipated. She rolled over on her side and looked out the window. There was the bath house, clearly visible in the back. She stood up and moved to the window, curious. Down below, she spotted Kakashi. His thatch of silver hair shone brightly in the setting sun. Sure enough, when he pulled on the door, it refused to budge. Out came the key and in went her former sensei.

Sakura walked back over to the bed, plopping down. "What to do." she mumbled. She sat back up and walked around the room, looking at what it had to offer.

"A nightstand," she pulled open the drawer, "with nothing inside." She shut it and flicked on the lamp. "Light…" she turned around and pulled open the closet. "Aaand… nothing." _Well that was a lot of fun! _I guess I could go and walk around town. There isn't anything else…

Sakura made sure all the lights were turned off. She slung her backpack over shoulder (she felt bare without it) and left. As she walked down the hall, she heard many things. Some were the cries of children; others were the harsh words between wife and husband. Either way, she just wanted out.

As she made her way down the stairs, Ume chided her. "Where are you going with that backpack? Where's your brother?"

Sakura, over the years, had come across many types of people. With these encounters, she learned new and unique ways to deal with them. It was a hobby of sorts to try and find the right personality that matched with the surrounding ones.

Immediately her façade went up. She bowed low and smiled sweetly at the woman. "My brother is in the bath. I have decided to walk around the village to see if I can help anyone with their wounds. I am a student under a fantastic healer."

Ume raised an eyebrow in suspicion. Sakura knew she was trying to pin her down. She continued to smile, even cocked her head to the side with innocence. Soon the old woman gave up and continued washing the desk with her rag. "You might want to check at the town center. Most of the injured are being held there."

"Thank you." she bowed again and left quickly but not so fast that Ume would catch her at her act. Once outside, she cast a vicious glare in the direction of the inn before continuing on.

"Now…" she looked around at the small town, ignoring the people who bustled around her, "where is the town center?" With a quick look down the road, she spotted it. It was the largest building in River's Bend and the best kept. It looked like it had just received a brand new white coat of paint. It was a deep orange in the fire like glow of the sun and it reflected almost painfully bright. Sakura went up the small steps and peered around the slightly ajar door.

A ghastly odor hit her nostrils and sent her reeling backwards. She gagged and put her sleeve up to her nose. "So that's what a room of unwashed people smells like." She took a deep breath and removed her sleeve (it is rather rude to walk into a room of people with your nose covered).

Many people were stuffed into the one room building. Most of them were lying on the floor on top of old cloaks or blankets. There were a lucky few who had obtained benches used for court and slept on them with small snores. Either way, the building was full.

Sakura maneuvered her way though a myriad of legs and arms, doing her best not to step on anybody. A man grumbled and turned on his side, nearly tripping Sakura. She scowled down at the man who had returned to his dreams just as soon as he had surprised her.

Then, in the back corner, she saw the injured. Bandages made up of cotton or torn clothing wrapped around injured limbs, heads, and torsos. The smell came off in waves in the small corner and nearly sent Sakura reeling. She quickly swallowed down whatever sickness and continued onward.

While studying under Tsunade ever since she had hit fourteen, she had seen many things at the hospital she interned at. The cases went up and down the scale; common colds, small pox, burns, and the not so rare dismemberment of ninja. More and more experiences were introduced to her and she learned to cope with each one in their own way.

Five years later, she was becoming an expert when it came to human relations. She, while still doing intern work, was a popular request amongst patients at the hospital because, according to them, she "truly understood the inner being." Sakura was quick to explain that that was not the case and she just liked to talk.

These people, she thought as she stepped over a woman who was already far too gone to be saved, are just another experience. I must learn to control myself for the sake and dignity of these people.

After brief inspection, it was clear who needed medic attention and who were overly dramatic. A man crying over a twisted ankle was a fine example of this. Sakura rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to walk up to the man and scream, "I've twisted my ankle so many times, I'd make you keel over like a spoiled little girl!"

There were, however, cases that were serious problems. The woman she had stepped over moments ago was one of these problems. Sakura's heart went out to those who she couldn't possibly heal, or any medic nin for that matter. But she could do well for those who still had a chance.

Her first visit was a young man, probably around twenty five or so. She set her backpack down on the ground and gave him a small smile. "Hello, my name is Sakura. I'm a healer and I want to help you."

A young woman who had been laying her head in the lap of the man slowly looked up. She had dark bags under her eyes and her hair was damp with sweat. "You can help my Hiro?" she whispered, sitting up. "You can fix his arm?"

His arm was badly slashed. His once white bandages were dark red with his blood. On closer inspection, there were other patches on his chest. Whatever injured him must have continued on to his side, she thought. The wound on his side though was minimal and would heal perfectly fine in due time. His arm was another story.

Sakura knelt down and slowly began to undo the bandages. The woman's hands immediately shot forward, grabbing the pink haired kunoichi's wrists. "Don't!" she cried, tears welling up in her eyes. "If you do that, he'll bleed to death!"

Sakura gave the woman a soft smile. She had dealt with those kinds of patients before. To handle them, it required patience and soothing words. "Don't worry," she whispered, slowly removing her wrists from the woman's clammy grasp. "I've been doing this for a long time. Trust me."

The woman stared up at Sakura with fear. She had come out of the middle of nowhere, urging her to let her help the man she loved. Under normal circumstances, she would have turned her away the moment she spoke a word. These however were not normal circumstances. These were conditions that required the ability to take help when it was given. Besides, the beautiful young woman looked awfully nice and appeared to have the best intentions at heart.

The woman weakly pulled her hands back to her chest and laid her head down on her companion's lap. "Okay," she whispered, "I trust you. Please, save his life."

Sakura nodded. Yet again she had wormed her way quickly through the barrier of unfamiliarity and into the world of comfort. When a medic nin can achieve this without the bat of an eye, they can truly call themselves a healer.

Sakura smiled to herself and continued the task of removing the bandages. As they came off, she could distinctly detect the smell of infection. It smelled sour and sharp. Her nose crinkled a little, but she soon smoothed out her features. She knew that the woman was watching. She didn't need to plant any seeds of doubt.

"It's a good thing I came here when I did. If something didn't happen soon, his arm would have rotted off." As the tail of the bandage came off with a sticky sound, the full extent of the damage was revealed. Muscle was torn, white bone was visible, and the deep red of blood began it's quick trickle down his arm. Puss oozed out slowly, making the skin and flesh looked decayed.

An iron stomach was also required for a medic nin. Sakura's first experience with blood was actually when she was a genin. But that was hardly nothing compared to her first surgery. The sight of the silver edge of a scalpel coming down across soft flesh made Sakura's first experience a little too much. She remembered waking up on a bed, Tsunade laughing at her.

After a while, she had gradually gotten used to the tissue and the organs until it was just another normal occurrence in her life, like eating. There were very few things she had seen and nothing surprised her anymore. That included the man's arm.

Sakura had to act fast. Her hands hovered over the man's arm. She took a few deep breaths, calming her mind and body. "This is going to feel a bit funny, almost like someone is tickling you with a feather. It's completely natural." She assured the man who refused to look down at his arm. Instead, his hand squeezed around the young woman's.

Deep inside herself, she called upon her chakra. It curled up from her stomach, through her blood, and condensed around her hands. The soft blue glow welled up and shrouded the ugly wound in velvety light.

The people in the room had watched the strange woman with the pink hair enter their makeshift home. She had waltzed in without any warning and had knelt down beside a man doomed to live without an arm. He could have possibly lost his existence. Then, her hands had begun to glow… and the wound had begun to close.

The people shuffled around her and watched with awe as tissue began winding itself together and fusing with the other side of the wound. Slowly, the gaping cut got smaller and smaller until there was nothing there except a medium sized scar.

Sakura pulled back, a little worn out. She stretched out her muscles and gave a weak smile to the man who was staring dumbfounded at his healed arm. "I'm sorry," she said meekly, "I haven't figured out how to heal without a scar." she scratched the back of her head, feeling uncomfortable about her inability to heal like true professionals. "I'm getting better, but scars…" she shrugged, "they always come back."

The man on the ground stared up at Sakura with admiration. He slowly stood up, the young woman clinging to his other arm, grasping him tight. "Thank you." he whispered, wrapping his arm around the young woman's waist. "Thank you."

The people around them murmured and suddenly, they were upon Sakura, tugging at her, begging for her.

"Heal my son!"

"My father! My father needs your help!"

"Poor Shizune is on the brink of death…"

"You must help my mother!"

Sakura felt like she was drowning. So many faces hovered above her, blanketing her in a sea of skin and sweat. She tried vainly to push her way out, but there were many desperate people and only one of her.

"Pl-Please!" she grunted, pushing a hand aside only to be replaced by another. "Please get off! I-I can't breathe!"

"Help him!"

"Help her!"

"Save him!"

"Save my baby!"

So many requests, only one her… It was getting hard to breathe, the smell of unwashed men and woman choking her alive. Bile rose up her throat and she was close to—

"Everybody _off_."

A man's face that had been very close to hers was abruptly removed. She saw the light of the setting sun and a shock of silver hair.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

"I'm not your sensei Sakura." But Kakashi pulled off another, this one a woman, and Sakura found her right arm free. She used that one to push another person off of her being. With help from Kakashi, she was finally free. She stood up and straightened her clothes, doing her best not to glower at the cowering people.

To Sakura's amazement, they were not cowering from her, they were cowering from Kakashi. He did look very intimidating; his hair was slick from water, his bare chest showed off his muscles and battle scars and his single eye was narrowed with anger.

Wait. Bare chest?

Sakura gave herself another few inches between herself Kakashi and found the will to speak.

"What are you, animals?" She was pissed and they were going to know her anger. No one got away with smothering her in human body filth. "I can see you wish to be healed, but really, is it all that wise to suffocate the one you wish to be healed by?" A few women flushed and men cast their gazes aside.

So much had happened to them. They had lost their homes in a matter of minutes. Their possessions were washed away like leaves in the wind. Through all of the chaos and panic, had they begun to lose their humanity? Were they really so low as to abuse a woman who had, on her own free will, and come down to help them?

"I would be happy to contribute my medic skills to those who need it, but I don't find it necessary to kill me!" she crossed her arms and sighed, frustrated. "There's enough of me to go around, I assure you. You don't need to tear me from limb to limb!"

Sakura, having felt she had said enough, reached for her backpack that was shoved to the opposite side of the wall during the scuffle. She swung it over her shoulder and looked at the shamed people. "I will be back in the morning." she said briskly. "I expect you to behave in an orderly fashion on my return." She walked up to Kakashi who had watched her entire speech with curiosity. "Ready?" she asked, not really caring if he said 'yes' or 'no'. But he nodded and she walked up to the door, swinging it open. Sakura turned back around briefly and scowled. "Leave this open; it needs to air out in here. And those who are injured need to stay put. We don't need any unnecessary damage." Sakura turned back around and walked down the dirt road towards the inn, or more specifically, the bath house. She heard the murmurs of the people inside and the scolding voice of Hiro's lover's voice.

"She came to help us you fools! Now look what you've done! I bet she won't come back now."

Don't worry, I'm coming back. _Only if everybody stays out of my personal bubble! If someone comes a step to close…Ha! Cha! _

Sakura ran her hand along her skin and shuddered. "Now I _really _need a bath. All those hands…" she grumbled, blowing a few bangs out of her eyes.

Kakashi walked beside her, staring at her intently. Sakura could feel his eye bore into the side of her head. It took all of her will power not to look back at him. He was still bare from the waist up and it made her want to cringe.

A few more minutes of eye-boring and she couldn't take it anymore. She whipped around and put a hand on her hip. She pointed at Kakashi's bare chest. "Put some clothes on, will ya?"

Kakashi looked down at his torso and flexed a little, causing Sakura to have a mini seizure. "What, do I offend?"

"No!" said Sakura, recovering quickly.

"So then, I look good?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"NO!" she screamed, stomping her foot in the dirt out of frustration.

"Then, I must look bad."

"NO!!"

"Then…" Kakashi scratched the top of his head. "…What am I?"

"AURGH!" Sakura grabbed at her hair and pulled, the pain clearing her thoughts. "You look good, but you don't, okay? Just—Just--" she sputtered, looking down at her twitching hands, "Just put something on!"

Kakashi rested his intertwined fingers on the back of his head and leaned, relaxed. "I didn't have any time Sakura."

Sakura, caught off guard, blinked up at him. "What?"

"When I got out of the bath house, I was hearing rumors about a healer doing miraculous things. Then, there was a big flood of people heading towards the town center." Kakashi closed his eye in thought. "I put two and two together; you were the healer and everybody wanted to be healed. I knew there was going to be trouble, so I made my way down to the town center as fast as I could."

Sakura was startled by this. Had her former sensei moved so quickly to her aid that he had forgotten to put on a shirt? No, it could be. At least, not for her.

But there he was, standing bare chested, smiling at her like there wasn't a care in the world. He had been the one to pull her free of the tide of people. If he hadn't come along…

"Um, wow…" she mumbled, feeling awkward. "That is—I mean… Wow." she scuffed her foot in the dirt, becoming uncomfortable. "I guess…" she looked up, her eyes focusing on his forehead protector instead of his eye. "I guess I--"

"No need." said Kakashi, waving her words away. "Just go and get washed up. Here's the key." He extended his hand, revealing the small silver key. "I'll be up in the room. I'm sure you didn't lock it."

Sakura blushed. She had completely forgotten. She quickly took the key and covered her embarrassment with a wrinkle of her nose. "You smell like lilacs." she said. A teasing smile twisted on her lips. She poked at his shoulder, grinning. "Do you like smelling like a lady Kakashi-sensei?"

"No." Kakashi pushed her hand away along with his cool words. "Somebody had mixed up my soap with theirs. My guess is that it happened during the last pack up." He stared her down with his dark eye, making her feel very small. "Do you know anybody who could have done that Sakura?"

"Eh heh…" she scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "They're the same exact color…" Not wanting to hurt her pride any more, she quickly turned around and ran off towards the bath house. As she rounded the path, she could have sworn she heard Kakashi laughing.

--


	3. To Save a Town

--

Sakura went up to the bath house door and slipped the key inside. When she pulled the door open, a large cloud of steam enveloped her. She waved her hand in front of her face, trying to make sense of what was inside.

Orange light seeped through the small window on the roof. The bath house was split in two, a bamboo wall differentiating between the woman's side and the men's side. She heard the small chatter of the women and the deep murmurs from the men.

Sakura stepped over to her appropriate side and slid off her backpack. "Smells so clean." Sakura took a deep breath, feeling the pure steam enter her lungs.

She stripped off her clothes and folded them neatly next to her backpack. With a hesitant foot, she slid into the water, sighing in relief.

"So good…" Sakura immediately set about to washing her skin. She rummaged through her backpack and pulled out her shampoo and soap. She sniffed the solid bar. "Yup, this is his alright." There wasn't a distinct odor, as most men didn't want to smell sweet. Kakashi's was very plain, but its scent was clean and fresh.

"Not my taste," she mumbled to herself as she ran the bar across her skin, "but it will have to do." As she washed, she listened to the conversation around her.

"…and all came down like a house of cards!" sobbed a woman in the far corner of the room. Her female companion rested her hand on her shoulder, patting it slightly.

"It's okay. It's okay." soothed the other woman. "We can rebuild in Unon. We can start a new life there!" the woman grabbed the other woman's chin and looked into her eyes. "I promise."

Sakura turned her gaze away, knowing the two would appreciate their privacy. She guessed they had enough criticism with their way of life, but now they had lost their home. They did not need her gawking at them while they kissed.

Sakura squeezed a dollop of shampoo into her hand and lathered up. The spring smell and the scent of Kakashi's soap mingled and mixed. "Wow, smells good." Sakura took another sniff. "I like it." She dunked her head underwater, rinsing out all of the suds.

Sakura sat back up and closed her eyes. The stone wall was cool and the water was hot, giving her a comfortable position. We're going to be here a while, she thought, thinking of all the men, woman and children that had no home. The talk is the river won't go down for at least a few days. I hope the Miyazaki family can wait a little longer.

Her mind cleared and suddenly she felt very tired. She would have gotten up, but she was so comfortable, she just gave in and relaxed. There's no point in rushing, she sensed that the two women had left and she was by herself. The voices of the men slowly drifted away to nothingness. Finally, she was by herself.

There was a dripping sound in the background. It was even and it occurred every time her heart beat in her chest. It was soothing, her mind swirling and softening to a sense of peace.

Peace… It had been a long time since she had felt peace. During her mission, she had none of that. Every night she was constantly on the watch for rogue ninjas who had teamed up to take down a local city. Every night she had stood awake, tensed and ready for battle.

More than once she had been injured because she had dropped off to sleep. One time she had nearly lost her life. Afterwards, no dreams came to her and she was always on the brink of consciousness when it came to resting. If a pin dropped or a leaf fell, she would be awake.

It's strange the things that happen to a ninja over time. A young, promising shinobi wasn't taught how to sleep. The safe way came with experience. For some unfortunate few, this experience ended with death.

Sakura had always believed she was a smart student. She could easily be given any problem and she would solve it within minutes. But, during her time away, she was taught the difference between smarts and wisdom.

Wisdom, when she was young, meant that the person was old. That was what it always seemed to be. Every time she heard someone of higher rank than her call a man 'wise', he was usually in his early forties and up. Sakura learned that wisdom was not something given with age, but with experience. Maybe that was why older people were wise; they had much more time to learn.

Sakura was wise. She had learned and experienced things that, according to other people, no one should ever have to go through. But she went through them and gained something in return. She was not foolish; she did not make silly decisions. She was a full fledged jonin and she was not to be taken lightly.

But then, she thought, why do people call Kakashi-sensei wise? He is always enveloped with his erotic books and always seems a bit goofy. He couldn't possibly be the man that everybody looks out for.

In a small sense, she proposed to herself that he was 'wise' but he decided not to show it. 'Why' was the question she should be asking. If it was her, she would want people to respect her and her knowledge. She found no point in hiding it.

But then again, it _was _Kakashi-sensei she was talking about.

After a few more minutes of soaking, Sakura got out. She dried herself off with the towel from the room, rubbing down her head after her skin was relatively dry.

She slipped on a set of fresh clothes and stuck her feet back into her shoes. "That was wonderful!" Sakura sighed with content, shivering a little as the night air hit her skin.

Wait, night?

Sure enough, the sliver of moon shone brightly behind soft clouds. There was little sound except the hissing of steam from the bath house. The lights in the houses had gone off and the people on the street were fast asleep, worn out from that day's events.

"I've been in there for more than two hours!" she exclaimed. Sure enough, her skin was like that of a prune and she felt oddly sick. She stumbled over to the inn and smacked the door open with her wrinkled hand.

"What have you been doin' by yerself?" scolded Ume. "Have you been off with the men? I have the mind to tell your brother!" she rubbed furiously at her glass with her apron, giving Sakura a nasty look.

"I wasn't with men." grumbled Sakura, dragging her way to the stairs. "And even if I was, Kaka—my brother wouldn't care." She had almost said 'Kakashi-sensei'. Don't screw things up, thought Sakura.

Her first foot hit the step and then her other. Slowly she made the climb up, gripping the hand rail as if it was the Rail of Life. In a small sense it was.

"Have you been getting' drunk girl?" screeched Ume, slamming down her glass. "I won't have it in my inn!"

"Good night." mumbled Sakura before taking one last step up towards the second floor.

Kakashi was lying on the bed reading _Icha Icha Paradise _when Sakura, red and wrinkled, ungracefully waltzed into their room, shutting the door behind her with her back. She slid down the cool wood and tucked her head into her knees.

"Fell asleep in there, did you?"

"Shut it."

Kakashi chuckled to himself and put away his book. He walked over to Sakura, his hands deep within his pockets. He stared down at her while she was probably staring at the back of her legs.

She looked miserable. Her skin really was a bright pink and it looked almost like a sunburn. Heat radiated off of her body in waves and Kakashi swore she could heat an entire room.

"You need to get to bed." said Kakashi, leaning on the wall adjacent to her. Sakura didn't respond, so he tried a different tactic. "We don't want the little girl to get tired on her first day."

Still Sakura didn't respond. Kakashi, worried, reached out a hesitant hand. "Sakura?"

The pink haired slid sideways to the floor. Kakashi was immediately by her side, holding her unconscious head in his lap. "Dammit Sakura." he grumbled, pushing a few of her bangs out of her face. "Your temperature is soaring!" She was extremely hot. Her face was flushed red and her breath was coming out in short gasps.

Kakashi acted fast. He picked her up and brought her to the bathroom. Cradling her in one arm, he turned on the sink tap, cool water gushing out of the faucet. He took large handfuls and splashed them on her face, trying to cool her down.

"Ugh, Sakura, you're heavy." He shifted her weight and continued to spray her face with the chilled liquid. You can be so foolish! thought Kakashi angrily. This was the third time her life had been in danger. The first two were accidents, but this was entirely her fault.

Am I going to have to watch you every second of your life? he threw a rather large handful of water at her body, rubbing the cool water along her neck. It's the only solution I can think of. I will worry too much if I'm not around to protect you.

Sakura's eyes were still closed, her head leaning back against Kakashi's arm. Puddles of water speckled the floor in small pools. Water fell in rivulets down Sakura's hair, dropping to the ground like rain. Kakashi's shirt was doused in water, his hand pink from the ice cold water.

"Hate me for this later." Kakashi took off Sakura's shirt and dumped water down her front. He silently cursed the maker of the inn for not installing bathtubs. "Come on Sakura," murmured Kakashi, running his wet hand along her shoulders, "come on…"

Sakura's eyes shot open and she sputtered, waving her hands in front of her face. "Stop! Augh!" One minute she was sitting by the door, the next minute she was in a wet bra in Kakashi's arms.

The logical part of her mind reasoned that he had his reasons. The other part of her mind wanted to mutilate the man. Her eyes narrowed on instinct, but her head was so dizzy and muddled, she decided that lolling her head back was just as good.

"Ugh… what happened?" Her arms were heavy and her body was wet. She realized that she had suffered from heat stroke. Kakashi had most likely saved her life. Again. If he keeps doing that, I'll never get around to repaying him. _I could have saved myself! I don't need some pervert to help me! Cha! _

Kakashi threw another handful of water in her face for good measure before looking down at her with a serious eye. "You were in the bath for too long. You can only stand so much heat Sakura. I had to act fast."

So, he did have a reason. The way he looked at the ceiling instead of her meant two things: He respected her enough to keep her dignity and he didn't want to talk about it.

Sakura grumbled and turned on her side, falling out of Kakashi's arms and onto the floor. She hugged the tiles, squishing her cheek against the stone. "So cool…" she mumbled. Her eyes were drooping fast.

"You're not sleeping in the bathroom." Kakashi picked her back up, Sakura fighting furiously (In all actuality, her hands beating on his chest were like pebbles being thrown against a stone wall). He gently set her on the bed and pulled the cool sheets up over her.

"Don't think that this is over." yawned Sakura, closing her eyes. "I'll get you for taking off my shirt."

"Okay." He went into the bathroom and came out with a wet rag; He folded it and set the cool cloth on Sakura's forehead. Immediately the pulsing behind her skull began to ebb.

"I don't care if you saved my life." she mumbled, feeling sleep take her over. "I don't care…"

"I know Sakura."

Sakura felt her grip on reality slip slowly. She yawned one last time and snuggled deeper into the blankets. "Hang my shirt up to dry, won't you?"

"Of course."

Sakura fell asleep under the watchful eye of Kakashi. While she slept, he did what she asked, hanging her shirt over the sink's rim. He went back into the main area, his heart beat finally slowed. She had come close to injury. It scared him more and more each time. He was sure he would go insane if this kept happening to her.

Kakashi slid down the wall close to the bed, crossing his arms. "Why are you prone to danger?" he asked. Of course she didn't hear him, but he felt like he needed to say something anyway. "I really am going to have to watch you more closely."

Kakashi leaned his head back up against the wall and closed his eye. He also soon fell asleep.

* * *

When Sakura woke up, she was alone. It took her a second to realize that Kakashi had gone ahead to meet with Hitoshi. She prayed silently that he would tell the big man that she had other plans that day.

Sakura slowly swung her feet off the mattress and onto the floor. The wet rag from last night was as dry as the first time it came out of the cupboard.

Sakura felt immensely better. Her skin was back to its normal smooth self and her brain wasn't a boiled pudding. She stretched her arms over her head and cracked her back. She stood up and went into the bathroom. There, on the sink, was her dried shirt.

"At least Kakashi-sensei is good for hanging clothes." she giggled to herself, slipping on the black tank top. She looked at herself in the mirror, mildly pleased at what she saw.

Clean skin, sharp eyes, and no more strawberry skin. She pulled down her eyelids to check for anything out of the ordinary and looked at her mouth. After everything appeared to be in order, she went back into the main area and riffled through her bag.

"Ah hah!" she pulled out a Quick Brush, ripping the small packet open and slipping on the finger glove. She proceeded to scrub her teeth down with the glove, getting rid of the plaque build up.

As she brushed, she spotted a letter on the desk in the far corner of the room. She immediately noticed the chicken scratch.

_Sakura_

_I've gone to see Hitoshi. I will probably be back around four or so in the afternoon. Don't go getting yourself into trouble. It will be hard for me to save you again._

_Kakashi_

Sakura huffed and crinkled her nose at the paper. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you!" She tossed the slip back onto the stand and threw away the used Quick Brush. She sat down on the bed and pulled her backpack towards her.

"Today I'll need my first aid kit," she pulled out the medium sized tin box, "some water, and extra bandages." She set those out as well. She looked around the room and spotted Kakashi's nearly empty bag. She grinned evilly and snatched up the bag. She dumped out its contents, which was mostly boxers, and shoved her medic items inside.

"He won't need it anyway. Besides, I have more stuff than him so it will be harder to pack up." With that in mind she slipped her arm through the strap. She made sure she had the key (he had taped it on the door with a piece of scrap paper with a smilie on it), and locked the door. Throwing it and catching it in the air, she tucked it into her pocket and proceeded down the hallway and the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going young lady?" Ume nagged, peeved at how tom boyish the pink haired girl seemed. "Havin' some fun with more boys I bet."

"Not today." said Sakura, stopping and bowing before Ume. "I have some business at the town center."

"Like hell you do! I bet that's your cover while you go off cavorting with god knows who!" She glowered at her, twisting her face into a scowl. "Your brother won't like it when I tell him! Won't like it one bit! I bet he's the only sensible one in the family. I bet he'll gut yer men alive!"

"He won't care." said Sakura. It was true, she had no belief that Kakashi would ever come at any men she dated with a kunai knife. "He's too lazy."

"Lazy!" Ume slammed the glass in her hand down on the table. "He was up before sunrise heading down towards the fields with Hitoshi. You were up in your bed, probably sleeping off your hangover!"

Sakura didn't want to tell her that it wasn't a hangover; it was her being in the bath house too long. The former wasn't as embarrassing as the latter so she let her continue to believe that.

"Goodbye Ume-sama!" Sakura waved as she exited, ignoring the angry remarks from the old woman.

"Dirty little girls with their awful manners! Just you wait, it's going to bite you in the bottom, you hear?"

The town was just as busy as yesterday, perhaps even more so. It seemed that more and more refugees came in with each new hour. River's Bend was so packed, there was hardly enough room to walk down the street. Families had their possessions laid out on mats, tempting people to come and take a look at what they had.

"Hand woven cloak," said a woman who Sakura had noticed, "sure to keep you warm on the coldest day. All I ask is for food. Please, do you have food?"

Sakura shook her head in shame when the man the woman had been speaking to spat down at her and held his belongings closer to his being. The woman wiped away the spit, her face void of any thought. As another person passed, she held up the cloak and began to bargain again.

It's so sad, thought Sakura as she watched many families sell their only belongings to those who were lucky enough to keep some of theirs. Sakura bent her head low as she passed, showing others she had nothing to give. She watched out of the corner of her eye as hopeful faces lit up as she came, but fell when they saw she was uninterested.

Ahead of her was the town center. Sakura stopped, suddenly anxious. She did not want a repeat of yesterday. Being smothered in dirty people was one time too many.

As she took a few steps forward, two men and a woman noticed her. They looked at each other and got up off their seats. Sakura slowed to a stop, waiting for them to come to her.

They stopped a few feet ahead of her, unsure of themselves. Probably embarrassed, mused Sakura. She crossed her arms and stared at them fixedly. "So… do you have reign on your self control this time?"

The men shuffled their feet and looked down at the ground. The woman elbowed one of them in the side and he coughed. "Yes." he said, looking up, but not directly at her. "We do. And…" he coughed again, scratching his cheek.

"We're sorry." finished the woman, taking a few steps towards Sakura. "We don't know what came over us. Perhaps we were too eager for our own pleasure. We did not think of you and the stress we could put on you." She bowed low and the men behind her inclined their heads, submitting to Sakura.

Sakura looked daggers at the men. They're a stubborn bunch those guys, she thought. But I suppose they aren't used to apologizing, especially to a _young woman _like me. What could she do?

"I accept your apology." said Sakura, her arms still crossed. "But before I take a step further, I want you to tell everyone that I'm here and I'd better get some civilized behavior."

"Yes ma'am." they bowed again and walked back to the building. A few others met them with anxious faces. They conversed and the people inside nodded. They disappeared behind the arch of the door and Sakura could hear the shuffling of feet.

Sakura had learned to not take crap from anyone. She had learned this from a very young age. She was not one to be pushed around so easily, especially by those who were below her. She deserved respect and total attention for her hard work. If she was not to get any, they were not worthy for anything.

To be humbled was not a bad thing. In fact, once learned, it was easy to get past people's defenses and speak much more freely with them. Sakura had found that being 'humbled' was a hard thing to learn. It took her three years to learn that there was nothing good out of talking back to much stronger opponents.

She could see clearly a few men needed to be put in there place. It wouldn't be too hard though with most of them respecting her. They'll do it because they'd be singled out, thought Sakura as she walked up to the town center after hearing the shuffling had stopped.

Sakura stood in the doorway, looking at the people who were lined up against the back wall. Sakura looked them over with a sharp eye, not missing a single detail.

"You." she pointed to a young woman with a bandage over her head, "to the left side of the room. You," he pointed to a woman who looked healthy, but had a small bandage on her cheek, "to the right." The woman shuffled in their respective spots and Sakura pointed to them. "Do you see how I separated them? Do so now, all of you."

There were a few murmurs and the shuffling of feet. Soon the entire room was alive, people pushing past others. Sakura saw a few people sneak their way to the left and she rolled her eyes. "If I find someone in the wrong section, they're won't be any healing at all!"

Sakura watched with a grin a few who changed their course and moved to the right. If she continued to watch them, they would see an embarrassed blush on their features.

Things slowly fell into place until everyone was staring at her, awaiting new orders. Sakura stepped out of the middle of the doorway and pointed to the right. "You guys need to get out to make room for the sick. Before you leave though, do any of you have any medic experience?" A few women raised their hands and a young man as well. She gestured towards them and they stepped forward, the young man embarrassed. "You are to help me." she said. "The rest of you leave. Once I finish with the ones here, I'll see what I can do out there."

Sakura wasted no time with watching them leave and snapped her fingers in the direction of the ones to help her.

"Over here, now. I don't want to waste time with explanations so I'll be brief." Sakura dug into her backpack and pulled out three bottles of peroxide. She handed them each one and a few rolls of bandages. "You guys are going to take care of those with the more easily handled injuries. Only use the peroxide when you can see or smell infection. The rest can be washed away with water." Out came the water bottles. She handed them each one and continued. "If you are unsure about a patient and need my help, don't hesitate to ask. We need to work together to make this a faster process." She flashed them a quick smile. "Do you think you can do this?"

The nurses looked at each other and then down to the ground. They're unsure of themselves! thought Sakura, frustrated. I hate it when people are like this. It makes no sense.

Sakura groaned and stomped her foot, a childish response left over from her years as a genin. "Come on now, don't chicken out! Besides, I'm here to help you and trust me, I know what I'm doing." she gestured to the people around them, their bandages red and her skin clammy. "These people need your help. They're counting on you to save their lives. Don't you want that?"

The women looked at the sick and the young man set his face in determination. "Yes." he said, gripping the peroxide bottle in his hand. "They need our help!"

"Right!" agreed the other woman. Her friend, also resolved in her duty, pumped her fist in the air.

"Let's do this!"

Sakura grinned. "That's the attitude I want to hear. Alright then, get to work!"

* * *

Kakashi had woken up ten minutes before he was supposed to meet Hitoshi at the front gate. His first course of action was to check on Sakura. Her skin had cooled and her heart was steady. Good. She's not dead, he thought. He then set about to stretching his muscles, yawning as he did so. He looked through his backpack and pulled out a Quick Brush, running it along his teeth quickly before tossing it. He went into the bathroom and changed his clothes, feeling that even though Sakura was asleep, he did not need to switch out his boxers in front of her.

He looked in the mirror and fixed his hitai-ate (it had spun around and protected the back of his head). He looked at his droopy eyed reflection and yawned again.

He scribbled down a note telling Sakura where he was going to be and set it on the table in the corner of the room. He picked up the key and with a grin, tapped it to the door along with a small smilie. "So you won't forget." he chuckled. He checked on Sakura one last time and exited the room.

He could hear the snores of the people in neighboring rooms. He was quiet as to not disturb them. He made his way down the stairs and saw Ume enjoying a cup of hot tea.

"Good morning, Ume." said Kakashi, bowing. Ume looked up from the rim of her cup and inclined her head.

"Good morning. Where might you be off to in these early hours?"

"I'm going to go and help Hitoshi dig up the kimchi stores. It would be ever so nice of you to cook up some rice to go with it."

Ume sighed and set down her cup of tea. "Yes, I suppose it's time we prepare the rice. We didn't want to make it considering we had nothing to eat it with, but now…" She gave Kakashi a questionable look. "I want to ask you something. You look like a reasonable young man."

"I'm flattered, but I'm not young." said Kakashi. "But I would be happy to answer your question."

"It's about your… sister. Now, I may be old, but I'm no fool. You two couldn't possibly be related. You look nothing alike. So, what is your case? Who are you really?"

Kakashi kept his face passive and relaxed. This woman is much sharper than I thought, thought Kakashi, slightly amused. "I do not know what you mean, Ume. We are but brother and sister traveling to Unon."

The old woman stared at him critically before turning her nose up at him and sipping her tea. "Young men, thinking they can get away with tricking a poor old woman. But I suppose you have your reasons." she waved her hand towards the door, taking another sip of her tea. "Go on, get out of here. I'll have your rice done before you get back."

Kakashi bowed again and left quietly, shutting the door softly behind him. "Better watch out for her." he murmured with a small chuckle. "She's a clever whip that one."

The morning was chilly and wet, making it almost uncomfortable. The shivering forms of the homeless laid everywhere along the sides of the street. Kakashi felt extremely grateful to Hitoshi. We would be sleeping just like them if it was not for him.

Just ahead, he spotted the large man. He was wearing tattered old clothes and headband to keep his hair out of his eyes. "You made it my friend. Where is your beautiful young sister?"

"She will be performing another task today, I'm afraid." Kakashi pictured Sakura amongst all of the desperate people in need of healing. You better be careful today. "She will be healing the injured. She is a skilled medic. Her time is better used there."

"Ah, a talented sibling you have. I agree, there are those in need of a doctor. Our own was killed in the flood. Poor man said a house along the river was the most beautiful way to wake up." He looked down the road up towards the inn. His voice was as deep as ever. "For a few minutes, I was afraid you were going to abandon us. I feel foolish for ever thinking such a thing."

Kakashi slowed to a stop, the dirt and rock sliding underneath his feet. He dug his hands into his pockets and smiled. One could only tell by the upward curve of his closed eye. "Don't worry about it. Sometimes it's a good thing to be cautious."

The man grunted in agreement. "Yes, it's hard to trust people now days, especially under these conditions." Hitoshi looked across his small town at the sleeping refugees. He sighed and rubbed his hand on his temple. "So many people have lost their homes. There are those who are willing to betray their ideals just to get them back."

"Hm."

"You know, a ways back, this town used to be a busy city. But ever since Unon came to power by the Miyazaki family, we've been run down to nothing but a forgotten ghost town."

The Miyazaki family, the underlying point of their mission. Kakashi tried not to sound too interested and asked, "How long has the Miyazaki family been in power?"

"Oh, not for very long. Five years to the best of my knowledge. It was as if they came out of the middle of nowhere. One minute we're a bustling community, the next we're some of the loneliest people in the Land of Fire."

So, their rise of power was abrupt and quick, thought Kakashi. I wonder how it happened so fast. "Any idea how they came to be?"

"None." The sun was beginning to shine its first rays on the ground. People stirred and Hitoshi began walking towards the east of the town. "Like I said, it was so sudden. It was like a summer rain. It came and went, and we were left with nothing."

"By chance," said Kakashi, following close behind, "have you heard rumors of a gang around here."

"No, I don't think so." Hitoshi unlocked a wooden gate and swung it open. It creaked on its hinges and banged when it hit the other side of the fence. "We're a pretty peaceful bunch. If there's any talk of gangs, it would be in Unon. And to tell you the truth, we don't much like talking about Unon folk."

He wasn't going to learn anything else. He would have to wait until the river lowered so they could cross. At least he gained a few clues.

The two were climbing up the face of a steep hill. Gravel slipped under their feet and Hitoshi fell more than once. Kakashi, being the jonin he was, wasn't fazed at all. In fact, he was the one who saved Hitoshi from taking a nasty spill back down the jagged stones.

"Urmph, I'm getting too old for this." Hitoshi panted and grabbed onto a cluster of knapweed, using it to haul himself up a few more steps.

"You don't look too old to me." said Kakashi, stopping to wait for Hitoshi as he bumbled up a few more steps.

"I'm old alright. Forty five. People say I look good for my age, but my bones and muscles are getting mighty tired." he grunted and pulled himself up with another thatch of knapweed. "Look at you; you're whole head is filled with gray hair and yet you're only in your twenties. That's what I call unfair selection."

"I believe that is the third time I've been called young." considered Kakashi. "But I'm not one to argue over such nice compliments."

A few minutes later, Kakashi pulled Hitoshi up with a strong grip to the top of the hill. Hitoshi's forehead was beaded with sweat. The sun was finally beginning to show its full face, bathing the sleeping land with golden rays.

"What a beautiful sight." Hitoshi wiped his brow and stared at the awakening land. "You can't get much more close to touching the stars themselves than that."

The dew on the grass far below sparkled like droplets of gold. Birds were beginning their morning songs, their voices like a symphony of flutes. The river was large and vast, taking in most of the light. It burned like liquid fire, shimmering and sparkling with a brilliance.

Kakashi had seen many beautiful sights. This was one was high on his list. He almost felt overpowered by how pure and true the sight was. "I wish Sakura could see this. She enjoys these kinds of things."

"Your sister, the pink haired girl. You two seem close. I envy a relationship like that. I've never had a sibling, but I think it would be great."

Kakashi laughed and found himself looking at the inn. He could just imagine Sakura lying in bed, snoring. "She can be a bit of a handful at times. She's also quick to temper. Now that I think about it, she's kind of dangerous if you make her angry."

"Yeah, but doesn't that balance out with the love you have for her?"

Kakashi's placid face faltered and he coughed a little. He was caught off guard and had to save his alibi quickly. "Um, yes. Yes, I love my little sister dearly." That was close, Kakashi sighed inwardly. A little warning would have been nice though.

"Ah!" Hitoshi clapped Kakashi on the back with a big hand, almost smacking him off the high hill. "Is it embarrassing for you to admit you love your little sis? You need to be more secure of your masculinity."

"Yes, I'll keep that in mind."

"You're a lucky lad. She seems like a strong woman." Hitoshi grinned and a laugh rumbled from his chest. "Bet you're beating the guys away with a stick, huh?"

Seeing Sakura surrounded by hormone driven boys suddenly made him slightly angry. "I'd be beating them back with more than a stick, I assure you."

Hitoshi blinked at him and bellowed with laughter, clapping Kakashi on the back again. This time Kakashi did falter and stumbled forward. He quickly caught himself and smiled nervously at Hitoshi. Best not make him too happy or I might be clapped right of the face of this hill.

"You're a card Kakashi – you don't mind me calling you Kakashi, do you?"

"No. I prefer it that way."

"Good! You and me Kakashi, we could make good buds." he shook his shoulder, his giant hand engulfing his arm. "We can talk while we work. Don't want to wait till the sun's high in the sky. Don't want to sweat too much." Hitoshi turned around and pointed down the other side of the hill. Kakashi looked down his outstretched finger.

His eye widened. "We're going to be digging through that?"

The hill dipped down into a small valley of mud. Dark, squishy, cold looking mud. It was clear it had run off the hill and sunk into the valley, covering the ground underneath.

"Underneath all that gunk are the kimchi pots." said Hitoshi, making his slow decent down. "We'll have to push past all the mud before we hit the ground underneath. You'll know when you've found a pot when you see a black knob sticking up from the ground. It should be the handle."

"Wonderful." Kakashi slipped off his shoes and hiked up the hem of his pants over his knees. He took off his gloves and rolled up his sleeves, making sure all his clothes would be without contact with the mud.

The first step into the mud was disgusting and uncomfortable. Kakashi even allowed himself a small groan. "This is…" he took another step and shuddered. "… unnerving."

"I know what you mean." Hitoshi didn't bother with fixing his clothes and waded in. He used his powerful hands to grab a handful of sludge. He tossed it to the side. It landed with a sickening plop. "You'll get used to it though."

"Yeah." Kakashi stuck his hands in and pulled, flinging away the dirt. It was heavy and thick, posing much more of a problem than he had anticipated.

Thirty minutes later, his hand came across something smooth and cold. He pushed the mud to the side and up from the ground was a knob. "I found one." he said.

"Good!" Hitoshi stood up and waded over to Kakashi. He looked down and peered at the dirt surrounding the handle. "Dig out the dirt around it. Afterwards just pull. Don't worry about the lid coming off, it's locked."

Kakashi nodded and pulled out a kunai knife from his pocket. He used it as a makeshift pick, attacking the frozen dirt. Gradually, more of the lid came into view until he reached the rim. He spun the kunai back into his pocket and grabbed the handle with both hands. He pulled, straining. The pot shifted and he pulled again, grunting.

It came free suddenly and Kakashi flew back. He landed on his bottom in the mud, the granite pot sitting in his hands. "One." he grunted, setting it aside. He stood up slowly, the mud clinging to him like an ugly second skin.

Hitoshi laughed at him, a kimchi pot in his arms. "Don't pull too hard or you'll go flying!" He reached down with his free hand and pulled up another pot with ease.

"Yes," Kakashi scraped at the mud and flung it to the ground with a flick of his wrist. "I have discovered that. Thanks for telling me."

Today is going to be a long day.

* * *

The chakra in her hands slowly ebbed away, leaving the girl's leg fully healed. Sakura pulled away and asked her to bend her knee. The girl did so happily.

"Thank you!" she squeaked, hugging her around the neck. Sakura let the girl do this. She was too tired to push her off.

Non stop healing. That was her day. If it wasn't for her perfect chakra control, she would have ended hours ago. Now her energy was running thin. She estimated that she could heal one more, then she would be done.

"You're welcome." smiled Sakura tiredly. "Now if you excuse me, I would like to check on June." Sakura stood up and walked over to the blonde woman that had volunteered her time. She was finishing wrapping up a man's wrist when Sakura knelt down next to her.

"How's it coming along?"

"Fine." June was cheerful, her blonde locks bouncing each time she moved her head. "Cho went to get some more water and Hideo is over there bandaging a man's head." She tied off the end of the white cloth with a sharp tug. The man smiled his thanks and left the town center to go and speak with his friends.

Sakura was pleased with June, Cho, and Hideo. They were proving to be excellent medics. If only they were ninjas, thought Sakura. "Good. Finish with those two in the corner. When Cho comes back, tell her she can go home."

"Yes ma'am!" June gathered up her bandages and half empty peroxide bottle and bustled over to another man with a medium sized cut on his side.

Sakura rubbed her eyes, growing tired. She looked to the clock on the wall. "Seven thirty." she mumbled, yawing. I've been out here for more than nine hours. Funny how time flies by when you're dealing with blood.

Hideo had moved away from the man and now was wrapping the slender arm of a beautiful young girl. She was blushing and Hideo was as well. Sakura walked over, grinning. "No romance on the job Hideo." Hideo's hand dropped the ball of cloth and the girl blushed furiously. "I don't want you to lose your concentration."

"I-I'm not!" he sputtered, trying to convince Sakura with his wide eyes. "She's just… I mean I'm just…"

Sakura pat him on the top of his head in a truce. "Don't sputter yourself to the point of fainting. Once you're done with her, you two can leave."

Hideo stood up, his eyes flashing. "I don't need to leave! I can help, I swear!"

"No Hideo." said Sakura firmly. "You've been here long enough. You need your rest. Besides, I can finish up here. Now, get back to your job."

Hideo sat back down, defeated. He picked up the bandages again and continued to wrap them around the girl's arm. Sakura heard her say she was sorry. Hideo flashed her a grin. "Don't worry, it wasn't your fault. I am a little tired anyway."

Sakura gave a small smile and went to the back of the room where an older man sat. His face was shielded under the brim of his large straw hat. Sakura knelt down next to him. "Sir, are you awake?"

The man shuffled a little and looked up. Sakura could see the wrinkles of age across his features. She bowed low and gestured towards leg. "I can heal that, if you wish."

The man studied her intentions silently. Deeming her worthy, he nodded his head in agreement. Sakura slid over to his leg and hovered her hands over his skin.

"Now, this may feel a bit weird, like a--"

"He's not your brother, is he?"

Sakura's eyes widened and her face shot up. Her eyes were the size of saucers. "What did you say?"

"He's not your brother." the older man said gruffly. "It's obvious. You have no features that are the same."

Sakura bit her lip and looked down at the man's leg, her skin almost touching his ripped up flesh. "We are not brother and sister by blood, but through marriage." she mumbled, calling upon her last bit of chakra in her body.

"You're names are the same. Either you're blood related or you're lying."

Damn. Sakura had walked right into a trap. She repressed the chakra flowing in her limbs and looked up at the man with a critical eye. "What is it that you want?"

"The truth." he said simply, staring right back at her with his green orbs. Sakura stared back at him, trying to make him falter. But soon she realized she was going to lose the battle and looked down at his leg, pretending to look over the torn flesh. "The truth does not concern you."

"What? Are you trying to hide something? Are you spies trying to destroy this town? Are you outcasts, abandoned by your village?" he pressed forward. "Are you a society scandal, hiding away from your way of life?"

Sakura growled and poked the man in the leg, making him wince. She looked up again, this time pissed. "I will ask you only one time: stop asking questions. If I tell you the answers," in a flash, a kunai was pointed at his throat, "I'll have to kill you."

The man stared down the metal of the knife. It was shinning deadly bright in the sunlight, reflecting its rays into his eyes. A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face. He swallowed and turned his head to the side. "Alright."

Sakura left the knife there for a moment longer before returning it to her pack. She called upon her chakra again and healed the man's wound. She gave a sigh of relief and held her hands up. "Alright, I'm done." she said it more to herself than anything. "I'm going back to the inn and sleeping."

She stood up and reached for her pack, but was stopped by the hand of the old man. She glowered at him, but he refused to budge. "I'm sorry." he said, letting her go. "But I needed to know if you could live up to your ninja ways. Now I see you are loyal to your code."

Sakura's eyes narrowed in confusion and suspicion, but decided that the man was old and senile and all he needed was a bowl of applesauce.

"Goodbye Old Man." she said before swinging her nearly empty backpack over her shoulder. He grunted and drew the brim of his hat down once more.

Sakura went through the room, picking up extra bandages and peroxide bottles, shoving them into her backpack. In the corner lay her half empty box of medic supplies. She shook it around and heard the wild clink of bottles and wraps inside. "Not going to use these anymore." she grumbled to herself before putting the tin box into her backpack.

She turned around and admired her handy work. Those who were badly injured were now either perfectly healed and wandering around the town or sleeping with white bandages along their skin. She admitted to herself that she wouldn't have been able to do it without June, Cho, and Hideo. "I'm just glad they volunteered or else I would have had to pay them."

The steps leading down from the town center creaked under her weight slightly. Men and woman bowed in thanks as she passed and children waved goodbye. She gave them a quick smile before heading towards the inn.

As she walked down the road, she realized that the people around her were in better spirits. She became conscious of the bowls of food in their hands and decided this was the reason for the happier mood.

"I can sure smell that kimchi." her nose wrinkled at the spicy smell. "I don't care how hungry I get, there's no way I'm eating that stuff. If I can smell the spice, then there's no way I'm eating it."

She resolved that she would boil up some ramen and eat that instead. She would have to ask for some hot water from Ume. That was going to be a task in itself…

A large brown monster rumbled up the bath. Its skin was coated in what appeared to be a cracked armor of some kind. Behind him was a smaller monster, perhaps its younger brother.

Oh wait, Sakura's grin spread from cheek to cheek, it's just Kakashi-sensei and Hitoshi.

Kakashi needed a bath. Badly. So much dirt was never good for a person. All he needed to worry about was Sakura coming back before them. It would be unlikely but…

He looked up the path and despaired. There, smirking evilly was Sakura. Kakashi slowed to a smaller step which Hitoshi noticed at once.

"What's wrong, my new friend?"

"Sakura will never let me live this down."

Sakura ran forward, laughing. She stopped to say something, but lost control and laughed again, pointing this time.

"O-Oh my god..." she tried to catch her breath, but laughed all the same, "Oh my god, I actually thought you were a demon!" She broke out into rib snapping laughter, tears running down her cheeks. "Oh my god!"

Kakashi glared down at her, but the whole effect of his glare was ruined with the mud caked all around his face. "Very funny, Sakura."

Hitoshi obviously found it funny because he was also laughing. His laughter was like thunder, loud and booming. "I suppose we do like mud monsters, don't we?"

Sakura looked up at Kakashi, her shoulders shaking. His clothes weren't visible. He could have been naked for all she knew. His tall spiky hair was matted in dark mud, a sprig of straw sticking out of the middle.

Kakashi glowered, causing the mud around his eyebrow to crack and fall. "What?"

Sakura's lips trembled and she laughed again, holding her sides. "I thought _I _had a tiring day, but you!" She clutched onto her sides. "You look like a mess!"

Kakashi growled. Sakura suddenly found herself swinging over Kakashi's shoulder. She blinked and stared down at the ground. "You think it's funny? Well, let's let you share in the experience."

"Wha? Wait! No!"

Kakashi jumped and they were sailing through the air. They landed on a rooftop, making Kakashi's shoulder dig into her stomach. "Wait!"

"Not this time." He jumped again, the roof disappearing in place of more dirt. Kakashi ungracefully dropped her on her bottom. She landed with an 'umph.' She looked up at Kakashi's flashing eye and she became fearful. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Let you share in my fun." he said simply before pulling her up by the arm and pushing her forward.

Funny how time seems to slow down when one is in danger. No one can really explain why it happens. All they know is that it does happen. There really is no science around it, it just occurs.

As the mini lake of mud came closer, Sakura dimly realized that that was her destination.

Kakashi watched with satisfaction as Sakura fell face first into a large pile of mud with a loud 'splat.' This pile of mud was especially watery and she sunk in deep. Sakura scrambled like a young deer trying to find its legs. Her arms flailed and he could hear her muffled screams.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!!!!"

"I'm not your sensei Sakura. You should know this by now."

Sakura somehow found the ability to stand, albeit a bit shakily. Mud dripped from her face, her bright green eyes and white teeth the only thing visible from her mud mask. She turned around to kill Kakashi, but the mud was thick and she fell again, this time on her back.

Now she was covered. There wasn't a single spot on her body that was dirt free. There was mud in her shirt, mud down her shorts, and mud where mud shouldn't be.

She was a dirty, dirty girl.

That's it, she thought dimly. No more making fun of Kakashi-sensei. Not when there's mud nearby. _I'm going to kill him! I'm going to beat him to a pulp! I'll drown him! I'll…I'll… AUGH!!!_

There was a squishing sound next to her and she knew Kakashi was now standing right beside her head. She ran her hand across her eyes, wiping the mud away. She stared up at Kakashi whose eye was closed in a smile. He picked up the key that had fallen out of her pocket and spun the ring connected to it around his finger. They were going to need it later.

"Fun, isn't it?"

* * *

Sakura and Kakashi stared up the face of the bath house. The small silver key (the only clean thing visible on Kakahi's person) shone with the rays of the setting sun. Her backpack lay next to her. Thankfully it had fallen off when Kakashi had grabbed her for her "well deserved punishment."

Kakashi unlocked the bath house door and the steam wafted out as usual.

"I'm taking my bath now." her decision was firm and was not to be moved. "I don't care what you do."

"We can both clean off now seeing that the door to our room is locked." he looked down at her. "It _is _locked, isn't it?"

"Yes!" huffed Sakura before snatching up her backpack and walking inside. Kakashi followed behind her, turning towards the men's side when needed.

Sakura took off her clothes and instead of folding them she threw them into the water. She heard Kakashi do the same thing. They had realized the same problem: they did not bring a spare change of clothes with them.

All that Sakura cared about was that her skin and hair was free of dirt. She could care less about walking a few hundred feet or so back to the room in wet clothes.

The bath house was empty except for her and Kakashi. It was unusually silent except for the occasional splash of water from the silver haired shinobi.

She dug around in Kakashi's pack, praying she did not take out the bar of soap. In a cry of relief, she spotted it in one of the smaller pockets. She inhaled the lilac scent and immediately set around to rubbing the bar of soap furiously into her skin.

"Ugh, so much dirt…" She fisted the bar of soap in her hand and rubbed it along her scalp. Brown foam ran down her face and neck, floating in the hot water. "Ugh!" she pulled her hand away and looked at the bar of soap. It was muddy and truly didn't look like soap anymore. She dunked it underwater and ran it through her hair again. "_So much dirt!_"

In the other room, she could hear Kakashi laughing. "You deserved it."

"I did not!" she shot back, scrubbing at her head furiously. "It's not my fault you looked like a mudman!" She dunked her head underwater and washed away the suds. Pulling back up, she ran her fingers though her hair. They came back streaked with brown. "Dammit!" Again, she attacked her hair with the bar of soap that was becoming increasingly smaller.

"Don't use up all the soap." called Kakashi from the other side. "I need to get clean too."

"Shush you!" spat Sakura, lathering up her head again. "I'll keep using this soap until my hair is nice and clean!" she scrubbed at her scalp, scowling. "I wouldn't be in this predicament if it wasn't for you, so don't even!" She dunked her head under again, and pulled out. Dirty water ran down her neck. "More soap." she grumbled, running the bar along her hand. "Need to get something stronger…"

"Hey, I need to wash too!" called Kakashi from the other room. Sakura sniffed and continued scrubbing.

"I don't care!" she huffed, her nose turned up as she worked her fingers into her scalp. "You deserve it!"

The steam in the bath house was so heavy, Sakura couldn't see the other edge of the pool. It was as if she was wading in fog. It made her seem invisible to the world.

"Sakura, I'm serious, leave me some soap. I've been wading in mud longer than you have and I really need to clean off areas that are rather sensitive!"

"I hope whatever's dirty falls off!" Sakura spat, rubbing in more soap just to spite the man.

There was the splashing of water and the pitter pat of feet. It took a second to realize who had made the noise. Ahead, near the wall separating the two baths, stood Kakashi. His mask was still on (albeit much cleaner. Sakura guessed he put it on before he came over) and his hair still had traces of dirt in it. It clung around his face and dripped brown. His sharingan eye was closed, the long rope like scar clearly visible within the steam. He gestured out his hand. "Give me the soap. It's my turn."

Sakura blinked, mortified. She immediately sunk underneath the water, the lather around her hair making a bubbly tan halo. "Kakashi-sensei, what the hell?? Get out!" She prayed to whatever higher beings were out there for the dense mist. Only the top part of her former teacher was visible. The rest was hidden in white.

"Soap. Now."

Sakura was blushing furiously. Her hands instinctively crossed over her chest. "If I give you the soap, will you leave?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow and leaned against the bamboo wall. "Of course."

Sakura grumbled and felt around for the bar. Her fingers touched it under the water. Her hand curled around it and she drew her fingers out of the water. Her elbow still covered her chest. "Here!" She flicked her fingers and threw it to the best of her ability.

Unfortunately, her best wasn't enough and it fell short into the tub. It landed with an echoing 'splash'. As the sound disappeared, so did Sakura's ability to breathe.

"I'll get--"

"Kakashi-sensei, GET OUT!!!"

"I'm not your--"

"GET!"

Kakashi, put down, gave her a mock pout. "Fine." he said, turning back around. "Throw it over here when you get it, will you?"

Sakura splashed water at him and he retreated behind the wall. Until she heard him slip back into the pool of hot water did she swim over to where the soap had dropped. She found it a minute later and threw it over to the best of her abilities. "There! Get it yourself."

More splashing of water, then a sluggish, "Thank you."

Sakura swam over to her clothes and rung them out. She got out of the water and slugged them on, not caring if they were dry or not. "Pervert." she grumbled.

"I heard that."

"And I don't care." she picked up the backpack and swung open the door. A cool gust of wind blew in.

"Augh! Shut the door, you're letting out all of the heat!"

"Again, I don't care." But she did end up shutting the door, albeit a bit more strongly than necessary.

"Perverted Kakashi-sensei, barging in on a naked woman." Her feet pounded on the soil. "Thinking he can do whatever he likes just because he's the copy nin." She threw open the door to the inn and Ume opened her mouth to bite negative comments into Sakura, but the young woman beat her first.

"What would you say if some man walked in on you while you're bathing, telling you to give him your soap? What would you do?"

Ume was caught off guard. She narrowed her eyes and the tea cup in her hand slammed on the table. "Were some men spying on you? I have the mind to go down and tell your brother--"

"He won't care!" Sakura stormed up the steps, ignoring the shouts that were coming from the disgruntled Ume. Sakura stomped up to their door and turned the knob.

It was locked.

And Kakashi had the key.

Damn. Perhaps I shouldn't have left so early. I mean, she thought as she slid down the door in defeat, it wasn't like he did it on purpose.

* * *

When Sakura left the bath house, he had shared a good laugh with himself. He tossed the silver key up and down in his hand, grinning. "She'll figure it out when she gets there. And I'll bet she'll wait there until I get back."

It was fun teasing Sakura. It was becoming sort of a hobby of his. It made him feel good when she blushed furiously whether it was from anger or embarrassment. It meant that she actually listened and responded to his actions. He was no longer some ignored person along the path of her life.

When he had gotten out of the tub to fetch the soap, he had completely forgotten his state, or lack of, attire. He had stopped himself before stepping too far into the steam. If he had taken a few more steps closer, things would have gotten awkward.

"A little too close for my comfort." He rubbed the bar of soap into his hair, finally getting the chance to clean himself.

After cleaning his body (using up all of the soap) Kakashi relaxed against the wall of the bath. He wouldn't spend as much time as Sakura had in the bath house, but he would make her wait for him to open the door.

The food stores are replenished, he thought as he went over the day's tasks. Sakura's most likely finished up healing the people who were injured. She'll probably have to spend the next day or two replenishing her chakra. After an entire day of healing, she's probably pretty beat.

He admired Sakura's stamina. Most people would label her as a weak young woman in need of rescuing. In the past, she was close to such a label. Now days, she was far from that. It's a good thing she's on my side, he mused, grinning to himself. She would make a tough opponent.

So if Sakura is going to spend the day resting, what am I going to do? Kakashi couldn't think of anything that Hitoshi had asked him to do. He supposed that he would wait and see how things played out. Until then…

I guess I'll train. I haven't been working on my jutsus in a while. And I can't remember the last time I did a push up. He was getting lazy. He blamed it on the lack of productivity in the village. And if I can't find anything else to do, there's always _Icha Icha Paradise. _

With that thought in mind, he picked up his clothes and rung them out. Slipping them on, carrying his shoes in one hand, he headed off towards the inn.

When he stepped inside, Ume was waiting for him with a broom in her hand. "Kakashi-san, I have received notice of a peeping tom around the inn!" her eyes slyly looked from side to side in the room, her grip on the broom tight. "Have you seen any young men around the bath house? Your 'sister'," she said the last part with a hint of sarcasm, one that Kakashi did not miss, "said a man barged in on her while she was bathing, naked! Poor girl was so shaken she couldn't even spare the energy to argue with me."

Kakashi did his best not to fall over in embarrassment. What she doesn't know won't kill her. "I'll make sure to keep an eye out." he said, inclining his head. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I am late for a well deserved sleep."

Ume set down her broom in a huff and plopped down into her chair. "Fine, you go and sleep. And you keep an eye out for that peeping tom, you hear?"

"I will. Good night."

I guess I scared Sakura more than I thought, pondered Kakashi. Best not do something like that again or else she might actually come at me with fists flying.

His eye widened slightly and relaxed into that of a smile. Sakura was curled up before their door, fast asleep. She had used his backpack as a makeshift pillow. He sighed, shaking his head. "Perhaps I was a little harsh. She did save many lives today and I repaid her by throwing her in a pool of mud."

Kakashi unlocked the door first and opened it before picking up Sakura bridal style and setting her on the bed. He threw his backpack into the closet, shutting the door that was right next to it.

As Kakashi tucked Sakura into bed (deeming her clothes were dry enough to sleep in them) he began to feel guilty. He had meant for his little prank to be funny and in the first few minutes, it was. But Sakura had done a lot that day and she really didn't need to bathe in sludge.

"I suppose I'll spend the day tomorrow fixing my mistake." he sighed, pulling his hands away from Sakura's properly tucked in body. "I don't like doing things like that, but it's a must."

Kakashi's clothes were far from dry. He stripped down and hung his wet clothes over the bathroom sink. He pulled on a fresh change of boxers and a pair of socks. He looked around the room for a spare blanket, which he found underneath the bed. Using his rolled up sleeping bag as a pillow and a blanket to cover himself, he began to fall asleep. "Just need to make sure I get up before Sakura." he mumbled again before relaxing against the ground.

--


	4. Foolish Mistake

--

Kakashi woke up just before the sun began to rise. Yawning, he stretched out on the ground. As he rubbed as his sharingan, he looked at Sakura who was still fast asleep.

She'll probably be like that all day, he thought to himself as he got up to go to the bathroom. Afterwards, he slipped on his dried clothes and his vest that was hanging over a stool.

Sakura mumbled something in her sleep and turned onto her stomach, her face smushed into the soft pillows. Kakashi held back an amused chuckle. Sakura was funny to watch while she slept. He wondered if he did anything embarrassing in his sleep.

Kakashi opened up the window. A brisk morning air swished into the room, making the curtains billow slightly. Sakura mumbled again and snuggled deeper into her covers. "Sorry Sakura," he murmured with a small smile. He picked up his shoes and beat them together outside the window, knocking off what mud had crusted onto them.

After the third clack or so of Kakashi's shoes hitting against each other, Sakura awoke. Her head rose up from the pillow. She was bleary eyed and her hair stuck out at odd intervals. "What're you doin?" she grumbled out, rubbing the palm of her hand into her right eye. "You should still be asleep."

"I'm not tired." explained Kakashi, beating his shoes together harder now that Sakura was awake. "I always get up this early."

"But there's nothing else to do." yawned Sakura as she turned on her side. She propped her head up with her hand, her elbow digging into the mattress. "Today you should relax."

"Hm, sounds nice," said Kakashi "but I have plans today." Kakashi shut the window and sat down on the end of the bed to put on his shoes.

"What could you possibly have to do today?" asked Sakura, curious. "There's nothing here to do except wait for the river to go down and that will probably be another day or two."

"Yes." agreed Kakashi, tightening the strap on his shoe. "But I still have business to take care of."

"Well, what kind of business?" Sakura had crawled up and out of the covers and was now sitting cross legged next to Kakashi.

"None of your business." said Kakashi smoothly, smiling at the open mouth reaction he received from Sakura.

"Fine!" she pouted, falling back into the pillows and pulling the covers over her body. "Don't tell me! I'm not…" she yawned, pulling the covers higher. "…not interested."

Kakashi gave a small 'hm' and stood up, tapping his toe against the ground, testing how tightly he had adjusted his shoes. "You just go back to sleep Sakura. I know you used up a lot of your chakra yesterday. You need to get it all back so we can leave for Unon in top shape."

Sakura grumbled to herself, but nestled into the bed, closing her eyes. "Whatever."

Kakashi made sure he had all of his ninja gear before picking up the key and slipping it into his pocket. "I'm going out and I'm locking the door behind me. I'll probably be back before you wake up."

Sakura mumbled a farewell, her mind already drifting off into dreamland.

Kakashi smiled to himself, shutting the door quietly behind him. "I knew she was tired." he said to himself as he made his way down the hall. As he began his descent down to the main lobby, he heard Hitoshi laughing heartily with Ume. In his hands was a steaming bowl of rice with red kimchi heaped on top.

"Yo." greeted Kakashi with a small wave. Hitoshi turned around and split a grin, his hands extended.

"Good morning my fine friend!" he bellowed. He held out the bowl of food before Kakashi, a pair of chopsticks poking out of the rice. "Here is your breakfast, the fruits of our labor." he peered behind Kakashi, his eyebrow raised. "Where is your beautiful sister?"

"Ah," Kakashi scratched the back of his head, knowing Ume was staring at him with daggers, "she's sleeping. Healing all of those people takes a lot of energy. I don't think she'll be getting up today."

"That is unfortunate." said Hitoshi with a small frown. "I was hoping I could speak with her some more. She seems like an interesting person."

"You could say that." Kakashi took the bowl out of Hitoshi's hands and set it on the counter beside him. Hitoshi looked at the bowl, confused.

"Well, aren't you going to eat?"

"Not right now. I'm not all that hungry." Actually, he was hungry, but he didn't eat in front of people. Not when he was the center of attention. When there was a crowd of people, yes he would sneak a bite or two.

"Suit yourself!" said Hitoshi, picking up his own bowl on the counter and tipping it into his mouth. He chewed happily, not caring that a cabbage leaf hung from his beard.

"Where are your manners?" scolded Ume, smacking him on the arm. "You don't want people to think you're a slob, do you?"

Hitoshi tried to speak, but his mouth was too full to form words. Instead, he chewed a bit more and swallowed, the big mouthful of food sliding down his throat. "Kakashi knows I'm a big man. I eat big!"

"Doesn't matter! You will eat like a human in my inn, you hear?"

Kakashi watched the exchange between the two, slightly amused. He wondered if Sakura was hungry. He knew that she wouldn't eat kimchi seeing that it was spicy, but perhaps she would enjoy a bowl of ramen.

"Ume?"

Ume was in the middle of ripping into Hitoshi about the finer ways of etiquette before turning her head. "Yes?"

"Do you mind sending up a small pot of boiling water to my room?" asked Kakashi, his hooded gaze curious for an answer.

"Well, I suppose I can." Ume raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Oh, for my sister." Kakashi obviously dodged the question, so Ume didn't dig any deeper. Instead her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I will." she said slowly. "When?"

"In an hour or so. Sakura should be close to waking up by then." Kakashi walked towards the door and Hitoshi was right behind him.

"Where are you going, my friend?"

"I think I will take a look around the town." said Kakashi, looking up at the bear sized man. "I need to do a little… shopping."

"Well, why don't you let me come with you!" he grinned, clapping him on the back. "I know everyone in this small town. I know who to trust and who to avoid." he flashed a bright smile. "I'm the best shopper friend you have!"

Kakashi chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. What a character this man is, he thought. "Yes, I suppose that will--"

"Alright then!" Hitoshi slammed down his bowl, making Ume cry in with mortification.

"Don't you do that to my fine china!" she picked up the bowl and held it close her chest. "You break it, I'll make you swim across the river and get me another!"

Hitoshi didn't hear her. He was too caught up in the thought of hanging out with his good friend for the rest of the day. "Let's get going then, shall we?" Hitoshi lead Kakashi out of the door, his big hand engulfing his shoulder.

"Don't forget the water!" called out Kakashi as he disappeared out the door, Hitoshi rumbling behind him.

Ume sniffed with indignation and rubbed at the small circle mark the edge of the bowl had made. "Sure sure, I do everything around here anyway."

* * *

With food in the hands of the refugees, they were increasingly happier. There seemed to be a sense of order now that the fear of starvation began to slip away. There was happy chatter and the shrill laughter of children. The men were mostly gone, but there were noticeably more hanging around their families. Overall, it was a brighter environment and it made Kakashi relax a little more than usual.

"It's so good to see everyone in brighter spirits." Hitoshi took a deep breath of morning air, releasing it noisily. "It does my heart good."

Kakashi nodded, looking around at the small makeshift stands that had, it seemed, suddenly popped up over night. Excited women ran the stands, holding up worn cloaks, small pots and pans, and packages of tea.

"Ignore them," said Hitoshi, stepping in front of a loud older woman, urging Kakashi to buy her hand knitted socks. "They're just trying to make a quick dollar. Where you want to go is ol' Arata. He's a bit of a womanizer, making him the handful of the village. His supplies are fair and true, but don't expect it to be too cheap."

"I have expected this." said Kakashi, patting the front pocket of his jonin vest. Coins clinked together with each movement. "I only need to make a few purchases. We will have to wait until we get to Unon to buy the rest."

Kakashi didn't look up at Hitoshi because he knew the big man was fighting with complex emotions. It wasn't his fault that the River's Bend had been forgotten. It was cut quick and dry. Unon was the better choice when it came to shopping smarts.

"Sorry." cut in Kakashi.

"S'okay." Hitoshi heaved a big sigh. It sounded as if he was worn out. "It is the logical choice."

It was oddly quiet between the two men. Hitoshi cleared his throat and pointed at a long stand that had two girls and an older man behind the counter. "There's Arata's place. Hey, Arata!"

Hitoshi waved and Arata turned to the big man's greeting. He waved back and gestured them to come forward. Hitoshi looked down at Kakashi who was as placid faced as ever. "Come now, he can't wait all day!"

Arata was a loud man. He was always smiling, always on the prowl for a vulnerable customer. Kakashi was reminded of a monkey when he saw Arata; the man was always bearing his teeth, chattering away until the shopper gave in.

"Hello!" chirped the two young women, bowing. Kakashi nodded his head slightly in acknowledgement.

Arata looked the silver haired shinobi with reverence, knowing he was the man who had supplied the village with food. "Good morning." he said, bowing. "Am I addressing a Komegawa Kakashi?"

"Yes, you are." said Kakashi, bowing. "And you must be Arata."

Arata was a man in his early thirties, just like Kakashi. He was thin, almost skeletal with high cheekbones and bony hands. But his eyes held cunning and quick wits. Perhaps that's why he's good with the ladies, thought Kakashi, watching the two young women wrap their arms on each one of Arata's own.

"That's me; Arata the Smart Supplier. I've been this town's main source of clothing, food, and medicine for as long as I can remember." He looked to the women at his sides and smiled. "These lovely ladies are my apprentices."

Kakashi stuck his hands into his pockets, his droopy eye expression not enthused. "That's nice."

Hitoshi too wasn't very stimulated and stepped forward, a small frown on his face. "Arata…"

The spindly man backed up, slightly worried. He whispered to one of the girls in her ear and she pulled away, slightly embarrassed. She grabbed the other girl by the wrist and pulled her away, startling the other.

Arata looked up at the big man, holding his hands out in front of him. "Hey hey! It's all good. I meant no harm."

"You never mean harm." grunted the big man, crossing his muscular arms. "But you always seem to step into it." Hitoshi gestured his head in Kakashi's direction. "This man needs a few things."

Arata blinked and looked at the masked ninja. "Oh, you do? It will be expensive, seeing the times we are in…"

"Money isn't a problem." said Kakashi. "Besides, I only need a few things."

"We-e-el-l-l…" Arata's eyes rolled out the stretched word before diving down beneath the stand. He pulled out a few boxes, each one filled with a certain type of item. Cooking pots, chopsticks, curios, makeup, soaps and clothes. "There you go." said Arata, brushing his hands together. "That's all I've got."

Kakashi looked over each box, pulling out a few things just to look at. Each item he pulled out, Arata's eyes lit up. They fell just as soon as Kakashi made a move to put them back.

Kakashi moved a few things around in the soap box. He picked up a few bars, sniffing each one, much to the men's confusion. He picked up another one, sniffed it, and nodded. "I'll take these two."

"Erm…" Arata scratched the top of his head, taking the bars of soap hesitantly. "These are… for females."

"Yes." said Kakashi simply. "How much?"

Arata blinked at him and cleared his throat, uncomfortable. "Two thousand yen each, but…"

"Here." Kakashi fished out the bills, practically stuffing them into his hand. Arata stared down at the money, bewildered. "Well," said Kakashi, growing impatient, "aren't you going to take it?"

Hitoshi stared at Arata, dumbfounded and quite embarrassed. "Take the money you dunce!" growled the bear sized man, smacking him upside the head. Arata winced and bowed his head, taking the money from Kakashi's gloved hand, giving him the soap in return.

Kakashi, no longer wanting to be in the company of such an annoying man, stuffed the soap into his pocket and turned back around towards the inn. Behind him he could hear Hitoshi reprimanding Arata for his actions.

"But that's girly soap! What's he doin' with girly soap?"

"He's got a sister you dumbass! It was for her!"

"T-the pink haired woman? But I thought she was his wi--"

"Shut your mouth before you make things worse!"

Kakashi sighed, shaking his head. The ignorance of some people, he thought to himself. Behind him he heard Hitoshi's heavy footfalls. He slowed down a bit to let the big man catch up.

"I'm sorry about that." he murmured, rubbing his head. "He can be a bit of a… a bit of a maroon at times."

"I can see that."

Hitoshi cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable. "Did you hear…?"

"Yes."

Hitoshi flushed red and gazed up at the sky. "I'm sorry. I really am."

"It's fine." said Kakashi, yawning a bit. "It's not that bit of a deal."

"So, are you heading back to the inn?"

"Yeah." Kakashi stopped to let a few running children pass in front of him before continuing to walk. "I had thought it would take longer to find what I needed, but it obviously didn't take too long." Kakashi stopped in front of the inn's door and turned to Hitoshi who was staring at a few children playing marbles. Kakashi knew the man was uncomfortable.

"I will see you tomorrow then?"

Hitoshi looked up at him and nodded, clearing his throat again. "Yes. We'll head down toward the bridge to see if you can cross it."

Kakashi nodded and opened the door. "Hey Kakashi?"

"Hm?"

Hitoshi looked at the ground, then to him. "I am sorry."

"It's fine." said Kakashi smoothly. "Forget about it." Kakashi gave him one last nod before slipping into the inn.

Hitoshi watched the door swing shut. He rubbed at his temple, sighing. "Arata, you can be such a dim wit sometimes. But I guess I can't blame him."

* * *

Ume was not at the front desk so Kakashi assumed that she was in the kitchen. He had only been out for a little over a half hour so he expected she didn't send up the hot water yet. On the counter sat his kimchi bowl. Suddenly feeling the brunt of his hunger, he took up the bowl and headed up the stairs.

When he entered the room, Sakura was still fast asleep. Her mouth was open slightly, snoring softly with each breath. Kakashi smiled to himself. Definitely funny to watch, he thought.

Kakashi sat down on the opposite wall and pulled out _Icha Icha Paradise. _It had been a while since he had last read and was eager to find out what happened next. He looked at Sakura again, making sure she was completely passed out, before pulling down his mask and eating his rice bowl.

As he got to a particularly steamy paragraph, there was a light knock on the door. Reluctantly he pocketed his book and got up to answer the door.

"Oh, you're back!" Ume held the kettle of boiling water in one hand and a small cloth bag in the other. "Why so soon?"

"My errands were easier than expected." said Kakashi, leaning one hand against the doorknob and the other shoved in his pocket. "So I came back early."

Ume nodded and held out the pot of boiling water. "Be careful now, it's hot."

Kakashi took it with thanks and set it on the ground next to the door. He pointed to the small bag. "Is that for us as well?"

Ume looked down. "Oh! Yes, it is." she held it out and Kakashi could smell something delicious inside. "This is for helping us with the food shortage and the healing. We couldn't have done it without you."

"I'm sure you could have gotten the kimchi," reasoned Kakashi, "but the healing would have been a bit more difficult. If you should thank anyone, it should be her."

Ume nodded, silent. "You know, I always give her a hard time. I do it because she reminds me of me when I was young." She gave a weak smile, one that revealed to Kakashi that the old woman before him used to be a beautiful maiden. She handed Kakashi the bag. She moved to turn around, but stopped. "You know," she said slowly, wagging her finger at him, "there is no shame in loving someone. You have no reason to hide it."

Kakashi stared wide eyed at Ume as she left down the hall. He continued to watch her as she disappeared down the stairs. Gradually he returned to his senses, shutting the door slowly. "Does she think…?" Kakashi shook his head of the forming thought. "No. No. Must be my imagination…"

As Kakashi prepared a package of ramen, something small, something undetectable, began to form in his subconscious. As the smell of seasoning permeated the air when he tipped the spices into the hot water, that small something latched onto him and dug its proverbial claws deep.

As Kakashi pulled out small muffins from inside the bag, he began to forget the words that Ume had spoken. The blueberries and huckleberries inside the sweet bread slowly began to neutralize the odd and unknown feeling that had been bestowed upon him.

In future years, Kakashi would look back and see that it was Ume, the old woman that ran the inn, which had first sown the seeds of a feeling that, if he encountered then, he would become eternally confused.

Kakashi bit happily into a muffin. "These are pretty good."

* * *

Something that smelled utterly delicious entered Sakura's nostrils. As her mouth watered, the sleep began to dissipate from her body. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, sniffing the air.

"What's that smell?"

"Ramen and muffins."

Sakura blinked a few times to clear her blurred vision to see Kakashi sitting in the corner of the room, smiling at her. "The ramen is ours obviously, but the muffins were given to us as a gift."

Sakura eyed the iron pot that she knew had noodles inside and her stomach responded with a growl. She slid out of bed and directly onto the floor. She hovered over the pot and snatched the lid away.

"It's cold." she said, downcast.

"It's not too cold." said Kakashi. "There's still some warmth to it. But you've been asleep for a while."

"Oh?" Sakura grabbed the small pot and held it like a bowl. She picked up the chopsticks that were laying on the ground next to it and began eating. "How long?"

"Since this morning? A few hours. Four, maybe five."

Sakura coughed up a little and stared at Kakashi. "I've been in bed for that long and I'm still tired?" she shook her head in disbelief and stirred the noodles around with her chopsticks. "Wow, I guess that healing really did wear me out." She slurped up a mouthful of noodles and chewed happily.

Kakashi was reading _Icha Icha Paradise _when Sakura finished the rest of the ramen. She reached for the bag containing the muffins and pulled out one with a big grin. "Yum." she took a big bite and munched, her taste buds singing.

"Good, aren't they?"

Sakura nodded. A thought occurred to her and she said, "Wait, did you have one?"

"Of course I did. They were for me too."

Sakura wished that she could have seen him without his mask. Long ago she used to obsess over what lay beneath her sensei's mask. Many times she and Naruto (Sasuke on occasion) would try and get him to take it off. One time he had pulled down his mask, but beneath was only a lighter colored one. In the end, it was a fruitless endeavor and she completely forgot about it.

Now the prospect of her being able to see him without the mask awakened the desire to see his face. She immediately buried the thought however seeing it was a very childish thing to think about.

"Did you eat anything else besides a muffin?"

"Three muffins actually." he said, holding up three fingers. "And yes, I had a rice bowl."

Sakura shuddered and stuffed the rest of the blueberry sweet into her mouth. "Gross. I hate spicy food."

Kakashi sighed and crossed his arms. "You know, you're going to have to learn to eat whatever is available. We may have to eat spicy food if there is nothing else."

Sakura waved her hand to push away his words. She grabbed the last muffin in the bag and turned it around in her fingers. "I'll tackle that problem once I come across it. For the time being…" she took a large bite, making sounds of pleasure as she chewed.

"Suit yourself." said Kakashi, standing up. He moved to the window and opened it. He looked out and over the bath house to see the river. It had lowered considerably. We should be able to leave tomorrow, thought Kakashi, looking at the horizon. Beyond that line of sky and land is our mission. He wondered how upset the Miyazakis' were going to be. He hated dealing with troublesome people. Of course, to the family, he and Sakura were the trouble.

Sakura had finished her muffin and was now cleaning up the dishes. In the corner where Kakashi usually sat and slept was his rice bowl. She picked it up and analyzed it. It was completely void of all its previous contents. Guess he was hungry, thought Sakura. She set the bowl on the bed and picked up the iron pot.

"This has been nice."

Sakura stopped and turned. Kakashi was still staring out of the window. His hands were shoved into his pockets.

Sakura slowly set the pot down, confused. "What?"

"This day will probably be the last day we can relax. Tomorrow we will cross the bridge." there was a sense of finality to his words. He sounded almost tired, as if he was waking up from a dream.

Sakura had seen only a handful of moments like this it made her feel special to share this instant in time.

"How has it been nice?' Sakura took a few hesitant steps behind Kakashi and crossed her arms.

"It's been slow." he began. A slight breeze rustled his hair slightly. "But a nice kind of slow. It was like a lazy river."

"So, dozens of people being healed and nins bathing in mud was lazy?" Sakura asked, amused.

Kakashi laughed softly, shaking his head. "Yes, well, I suppose not. But…" he glanced over his shoulder, his hooded gaze capturing Sakura's jade eyes. "It was fun."

Sakura stared at Kakashi. His form was lined with the light of the sun. He looked so wise, so strong, and Sakura almost felt overwhelmed. "I…" the single letter slipped though her lips like a hushed secret. She felt awkward, anxious. Her fingers twisted together, her lip was being bitten by her teeth. "I…" she started again, clearing her throat. "I enjoyed it too. I mean, it _is _going to be a while before we can relax like this again. To be able to do this before our mission…" she shrugged. "It is nice."

Kakashi turned around, his eye widened slightly in surprise. Sakura stared back at him, not being able to move if she wanted to.

The two stood there in mutual silence. There was the occasional rustling of grass and the shrill shriek of a child, but besides that it was a silent stare down.

Sakura couldn't think of anything. Her mind had run dry of witty comments or words of any kind. She was pinned on the spot by the dark gaze of her former sensei. It made her feel singled out and put in the lime light. It was not entirely comfortable, but it was not unwelcome.

However, the longer he stood there, the more nervous she became. She didn't know why, all she knew was that if he continued to stare at her, she would not be able to breathe again. As she stood there, her breath was caught in her throat and her heart was beating fast.

What is wrong with me! cried Sakura, her eyes imprinting the image of Kakashi into her brain. Why can't I move? It's like he's sucking me in…

Kakashi shifted on his foot and Sakura found herself free of the spell. She mumbled something incoherent and turned around to dig through her backpack. The weight on her chest let loose and she felt herself drift slowly back into existence.

Kakashi smiled and walked up to the pink haired kunoichi who was shuffling through her backpack. He laid his hand on her shoulder, making her freeze in her actions.

"I'm glad." murmured Kakashi.

Sakura slowly looked over her shoulder and nodded. "That's good."

Kakashi looked down at Sakura. He looked at her light pink hair, the curve of her jaw, and at the bright green of her irises. Suddenly the room seemed very small. His hand retreated to his pocket. He walked to the door and Sakura moved behind him.

"Where are you going?"

"Out." said Kakashi simply. "There's nothing to do here, so I'm going to go and take a walk."

"Well, on your way out," Sakura picked up the dishes and handed them to Kakashi, "drop these off to Ume."

"Will do." said Kakshi, balancing the dirty dishes in one arm and opening the door with the other. "And what will you do?"

"Sleep." said Sakura plainly, falling back onto the bed. "I'm still tired. I probably won't wake back up until morning."

"I'll make sure to get you up then."

Sakura scrambled underneath the covers and closed her eyes. "Make sure to lock the door behind you. I'm guessing you still have the key."

"Of course." Kakashi turned the lock into place and shut the door tightly behind him.

Ume was not at the front desk so he simply set the dishes on the counter and left without another word.

Kakashi found himself walking towards the entrance to the town. As he passed by the people, they inclined their heads in thanks before returning to their food.

He walked up to the wooden arch that signaled the beginning of the town. He turned his gaze back to the town. It was peaceful in a sense. There were kinder words and warmer nights than the previous night. It made him relax slightly.

His eyes slid across the scene and landed on the the inn. Inside was Sakura, sleeping. He began to think about how secluded she used to be from him and it made him suddenly sad. She still wasn't as close to him as she used to be when she was his student. It hurt and he didn't like it.

He sighed and turned back around, leaning on the wooden post. He wondered if things with her would ever be the same between them. He didn't like the prospect of a dark mistake looming between them.

He wanted to be her friend, not a man who she had tried to forget. He wanted to be there for her when she needed it, not be the backup plan.

He wondered if things would get better between them over time. He hoped that that was the answer and he hoped the time it took wouldn't be too long. Indeed he wished for better things to come faster than they were.

Something wet landed on top of his head. Then, something else. In a matter of seconds he was being drenched, the rain falling from the sky in torrents. This rain was not like what he and Sakura had gone through. This rain was cold and sharp, the kind of rain that left someone with a cold.

He made his way back to the inn, passing the shrill screams of children as they splashed in ever growing puddles. Mothers chided their children and told them to get out of the water. Kakashi watched the children play, their innocent smiles bright.

Children, he thought as he passed, are the only true good on this planet. They aren't tainted by the mistakes of the adults and hurt by those who need everything.

There was something with children that made him angry. Perhaps it was because his childhood wasn't one he wanted to remember. Perhaps it was because he never wanted to have children on threat he would lose them. But then again, he held a grudging respect for them. They really are the only good…

Kakashi entered the room quietly. Sakura was sleeping, her snores light. He glanced over at her and smiled softly. Yes, with time, she would warm up to him. At least… he hoped. His smile disappeared. He sat down by the window. He looked out and over and watched the river seem to shiver as the rain fell. He hoped that the rain would stop soon or they would have to be held back another day.

* * *

The rain, in fact, did _not _stop. In fact, it came down hard and constant. Because of this the river rose to unimaginable heights and River's Bend was put under the threat of drowning. Kakashi and Sakura were immediately thrown into the act of recovery.

While Kakashi spent most of his time fixing buildings, Sakura spent her time healing the injured. More and more people came in as each day of non stop rain passed. After the fourth week, the town was severely over populated. Refugees from many other small towns came to them, Unon clearly not able to be accessed. Luckily, with them, came more food. And more importantly, more medical supplies.

Sakura grunted as the man's foot came at her again. She held down onto him tight as he thrashed, his arms being held down by June and Hideo. "Sir, you're being unreasonable!" she grunted again as the flat of his foot hit her rather hard in her stomach. "Cho, where is the peroxide?"

"Right here!" the dark haired girl quickly knelt down next to the over zealous man and tipped the alcohol onto the man's infected calf. Immediately the man howled and pain and doubled his efforts to get loose. Sakura, having just about enough of the man's temper, reached her hand around and pinched the flesh between his Achilles Tendon. Immediately the man froze and more importantly, his leg.

"That is quite enough." growled Sakura. "Keep this up and I'll cut your leg off!" she pinched harder and the man winced. Deeming him subdued, she gave Cho the order to wrap the man's leg in woven cotton strips. Sakura, having enough of the man for one day, dropped his foot rather abruptly and stood up, glaring down at him. "You, my dear man, were one of the worst patients I have ever had. Seriously, it was either the peroxide or your leg! It's kind of obvious which is the more logical of choices!" The man flushed and turned his face away, giving Sakura the satisfaction of putting him in his place. She gestured towards June and the blonde girl stood up hurriedly moving towards the pink haired medic.

"Yes, Sakura?"

"See if the other women have finished weaving some more wraps." she said, gesturing to the outside of the town hall. "We're running low. And also ask if we were able to scrounge up any more medical supplies." Sakura suppressed a yawn and continued. "I'm going to head out and see how the men are doing at the dock."

Sakura waved a quick goodbye before stepping out of the town center and into the streets filled with people.

River's Bend was no longer a ghost town, but more of a city. Small stands popped up everywhere, vendors shouting out what great deals they had. Sakura had deemed the town lucky when a few passing traders to Unon were delayed because of the river. In fear of losing money, they made their way to the closest town they could; River's Bend.

In short, the old River's Bend had come back to life.

"Good afternoon Sakura!" a young woman waves. Sakura smiled and waved back.

"Good afternoon! How is your daughter doing?"

"She's doing fantastic! Her leg has healed completely and she is much more active." the woman smiled. "Thanks again."

"No, it's quite alright." Sakura waved one last time before continuing on down the path towards the newly rebuilt dock.

"Get your fish!" bellowed a man, his once white apron smudged with fish scales and blood. "Fresh fish caught just this morning!" the big man caught her eye and thrust the fish out towards Sakura's face. She stared into the silver salmon's eyes, blinking. "How would you like some fish Sakura?"

Sakura chuckled nervously. "No thanks Bron. We're still finishing off the bass you gave us a few nights before." she stepped to the side and dug into her pockets, pulling out a single copper coin. "But I would like some jerky though."

Bron grinned and set the big fish down. He reached up and pulled a strip of meat off a hook hanging above his head. "Here you go Sakura." he said, handing it to her.

Sakura took the meat with thanks and gave the man the money. She bit into the jerky and chewed happily. "As good as ever." she smiled.

A small heard of lambs came down the side of the street, bleating and rolling their eyes as they walked. Sakura stepped out of the way and took another bite of her food, watching as the sheep were lead up the dirt road and towards the grazing area where they would later be sheared.

After the animals passed, Sakura continued down the road. The air suddenly became brisker and sharper and she knew she was reaching the docks. She popped the rest of the jerky in her mouth and shoved her hands into her pockets, wondering if Kakashi had eaten anything that day.

Probably didn't, sighed Sakura inwardly. In fact, I don't think I've seen him eat once. She searched through her memories. Nope, not once. She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "Oh well. It's not my job to force him to eat."

Kakashi and Hitoshi were standing on the newly built dock, exchanging words that Sakura couldn't hear. She waved her hand in the air. "Hey!"

Kakashi and Hitoshi turned their heads to see Sakura waving at them. Hitoshi gave her a big grin and Kakashi was just as placid faced as ever. He was however happy to see her. "Yo." he watched Sakura walked up to them, her arm adjusting the small pack over her shoulder. "Done so soon?"

Sakura shrugged. "Yeah. I had a run in with a stubborn patient. Really, I just wanted out of there." she looked up at Hitoshi and flashed a bright grin. "Hey! How was the catch today? Bron obviously had a good haul."

"Ha!" Hitoshi crossed his arms. "That man could catch something in a puddle. No, we had a pretty good catch today. Needless to say we're going to be just fine in the food department."

Sakura smiled, remembering how she at one point had to each kimchi after their ramen ran out. She was _immensely _grateful for the variety of food now open to her. In fact, she was grateful for everything that had happened.

"And you Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura turned around, an eyebrow raised. "Did you help at all today?"

Kakashi shrugged, his hooded gaze not revealing anything. "Yes, I helped Miss Nosy."

Sakura 'hmphed' and stuck her nose out at him. "Well fine Mr. Stay Out of my Business. I was just curious seeing as you are usually pretty lazy."

Hitoshi laughed and clapped the silver haired jonin on the back. Kakashi had gotten used to it and let himself be pat. "He's not lazy Sakura, he's a great help! You should have seen him today. Caught a fish with his bare hands! Just readin' his book and WHAM!" Hitoshi smacked his hands together, causing Sakura to jump. "Reached right into the water and snatched him!" he shook his head, eyes wide and mouth grinning. "It was something!"

Sakura raised an eyebrow and slid her gaze over to Kakashi who was now apparently interested in a nearby fisherman. "Oh really?" Sakura fisted her hands and put them on her hips. "I find that hard to believe."

Kakashi looked down at her. "Really? Well, contrary to popular belief, I am not a lazy bum. I do contribute here and there."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Yeah, just as long as you get paid so you can buy more _Icha Icha Paradise _volumes."

Kakashi laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head while Hitoshi roared with laughter. "You are a quick whip my pink haired friend! Come," he led Sakura away from the uneasy shinobi, "let's get something to eat. I haven't had anything since this morning and my stomach calls for sustenance!"

Sakura cast her gaze over to Kakashi. "Are you coming sensei? I know you never eat, but how about a cup of tea or something?"

Kakashi, deeming that Sakura had only teased him and was not angry with him, nodded and followed the other two back up the street.

Their destination was the same as every other time they went out for some food; The Bronze Kettle. Hitoshi pushed open the swinging doors and allowed Sakura to go in before him. The kunoichi was greeted by a woman with long blonde hair and a body that apparently had been given to her by the goddess of lust and affection. She gave her a bright smile, her red lipstick a stark contrast to her pearly whites. "Why hello Sakura-chan!" she practically ran over and squeezed the life out of Sakura who returned the hug with less strength, not being able to breath.

"Hello… Akane…"

"Akane, my boisterous blossom, let Sakura breathe!" Hitoshi pulled the two off each other and gave Akane a kiss. "How is my favorite wife?"

"I'm your only wife Hitoshi." smiled Akane. "And you're stickin to me."

"Yes, I suppose the chains of marriage are the strongest steel." sighed Hitoshi in a playful way. "Couldn't break away even if I wanted too."

Akane smacked him on the arm and grinned at Sakura. "Don't ever get married." she said, winking. "It's a burden."

Hitoshi laughed and picked up the blonde bombshell, spinning her around in his arms. Akane laughed, her hair fanning out behind her. "Put me down Hitoshi!" she laughed again as he slowly set her back down to the ground. She smacked him again and removed herself out of his arms. "You're getting me all side tracked. Sit down at your table and I'll bring you some food."

"Make sure to bring some cornbread!" he called out one last time before Akane disappeared into the back kitchen, blowing him a kiss before the door swung shut. Hitoshi sighed, dreamily staring at the door. "What a woman…"

Sakura shook her head, softly chuckling to herself. "Discretion is not a part of your life, is it Hitoshi?"

"Apparently not." said Kakashi who had watched the entire spectacle behind Sakura.

The said girl jumped at Kakashi's sudden words and turned around, frowning. "Don't startle me like that!" she said, punching his arm. "Geez!"

"Perhaps you should keep your guard up." said Kakashi softly, his eyes twinkling. "Then you wouldn't have been startled. Are you getting lazy my dear Sakura?"

Sakura blinked and flushed red, turning around and stomping over to her chair at a loss of words. Damn… I hate it when he's right.

Kakashi slid in a chair next to hers and pulled out _Icha Icha Paradise _while he waited for Akane to bring their usual orders. Sakura, to pass the time (and to ignore her mistake) balanced a salt shaker on its edge with just a punch of salt. Blowing the salt away, she looked down at her feat of magic and grinned. "Aha! Check that out!"

Kakashi, without even pulling his gaze away from his book, snatched up the salt shaker and balanced it on its edge without a moment's hesitation. "Ta da."

Sakura growled and brushed the rest of the salt away, sinking her head into her hands. "You're a buzz kill, you know that?"

Kakashi gave her a brief glance. "Only for you."

Luckily the food came before Sakura could dismember her former sensei. The smell of freshly baked cornbread made her stomach growl and her mouth water. She quickly ripped off a chunk and popped it into her mouth, chewing happily.

Akane smiled and leaned down for a kiss from Hitoshi. "Enjoy hun." she said before giving him another kiss and moving to serve someone else.

Hitoshi sighed and smiled, swirling the water in his glass a little. "I'm a lucky man to have a woman like Akane at my side." he took a sip of his drink. "Hey Kakashi, have you ever thought about settling down?"

Sakura stopped her food chewing escapade and listened in. She was curious as to how Kakashi would answer.

Kakashi pocketed his book and picked up his cup of tea, blowing on it slightly. "No, not really. My job requires me to move around a lot. It would be a strain on my family, even if I ever got around to having a family." he sipped his herbal tea and looked at Hitoshi. "I don't think I would make a good husband or father."

Sakura arched her eyebrows and took a sip of her drink. No, she couldn't see Kakashi ever settling down. And as for a husband, she didn't even know if he ever had been with a woman. That being said, she couldn't imagine Kakashi ever having kids. The thought of miniature Kakashis' running around with multi colored masks made her giggle into her cup.

"What are you laughing at?" inquired Kakashi, raising an eyebrow.

"Oohh nothiiing…" Sakura smiled and shook her head when she imagined herself being swarmed by a sea of Kakashis, their silver hair surrounding her. "Nothing at all…"

She wished silently that Kakashi would reconsider. She found the idea of being the surrogate aunt to his children very appealing. She would be the one family member that his children would scream about once they heard she was coming. She would bring candy, as she usually did for children, and take them out to parks and restaurants. The whole fantasy was too good to be true.

"Sakura?"

The pink haired jonin blinked herself out of her daydream and looked up at Kakashi who was staring at her with his visible eyebrow arched. "What?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"Huh? Why do you want to know?" she stuck out her nose and huffed.

"Well," he said, leaning his chin against his hand, "you're sitting there with a goofy grin on your face. I can't help but be curious."

Sakura blushed and wished that she could just disappear. She considered using a jutsu, but then figured that was irrational behavior. Still, the idea _was _tempting. "None of your business!" she spat, taking off another hunk of cornbread and stuffing it into her mouth, signaling she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

Kakashi backed off of the topic and instead took another sip of his tea. "Alright then." he said, rolling his eyes. "Whatever."

Hitoshi had also been curious as to the strange expression on the girl's face but if Sakura didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't press either. Instead he sniffed the air, his mouth watering. "I think our food is coming!"

Plates heaping with tempura were set before Hitoshi and Sakura along with two individual bowls of soy sauce. "Here you guys go." said Akane, handing the two their chopsticks. "As always it's on the house."

Sakura took up her chopsticks with a snap and practically gorged herself with the food. Hitoshi was just as excited as she was when it came to their dinner. Eggplant soared, soy sauce spilt, and chopsticks clacked. Kakashi, not a big fan of tempura _at all, _turned away from the spectacle and focused on his book and not the smell of deep fried vegetables.

After popping the last piece of food into her mouth, Sakura dropped her chopsticks onto her plate and leaned back into her chair, sated. Hitoshi obviously wasn't full yet and continued to eat the rest of the cornbread, slathering it with honey.

"I'm so full…" groaned Sakura, patting her slightly rotund belly. "I don't think I'll be able to eat for a few days."

"You always say that." said Kakashi without a moment's hesitation, turning a page of _Icha Icha Paradise._

Sakura shot him a glare and settled back into her chair, closing her eyes. "Anyway, I think I need to go back to the inn and sleep this off."

Hitoshi nodded, his mouth too full to say anything incoherent. She guessed his muffles translated along the lines of "I'll see you tomorrow."

Sakura stood up slowly and threw a few coins on the counter as a tip, ignoring Akane about the free meal. "I still feel like I have to pay," she mumbled to herself as she fished out another copper coin. "I do get paid, so I might as well." Sakura pushed in her chair, Kakashi standing up beside her. "Why are you leaving?" she asked. "You need to get something to eat."

Kakashi looked down at the now empty table, Hitoshi gone to the back kitchen to 'repay' his wife. "There's no food left."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Then order some food."

Kakashi scratched the back of his head, his eye crinkled in the corner. "I forgot my money."

"You forgot your…!" Sakura groaned and shook her head. "I swear, sometimes you can be so childish Kakashi-sensei." she dug into her pocket and fished out a few bills. She stuffed them into his hand, much to his surprise, before turning on her heel. "Don't bother paying me back." she said before leaving the Bronze Kettle.

Kakashi looked down at the money in his hand, still unable to think things through.

Since the four weeks they had been stuck in River's Bend, he had tried to make things right between him and Sakura. Now, as he stood there with her money in his hands, he could only describe their friendship as askew.

Slowly he sat back down into the chair and waved another waitress over to him. "I'll have a bowl of chowder." he said, handing her a few of the bills. The girl nodded and disappeared back into the kitchen.

Kakashi sighed and rubbed at his eye. When it came to Sakura, things got confusing. He couldn't understand how he could go about to making things right between them. Of course, all those days ago, he had said he was sorry. But three years of anger build up was hard to get rid of.

He wondered if they could ever have a healthy friendship. He hoped silently that they could. Sakura would make a great friend. He could picture her at his home, laughing about his day while enjoying a few cookies she had baked and brought over. Then, they would meet Naruto and out to eat. Afterwards, they would part and Kakashi would make sure he gave her a hug. It looked very appealing.

But, he thought as the fish chowder was set before him, those thoughts aren't looking too bright as of now. Gloomily he stared down into his bowl and swirled the white concoction with his spoon. And what's worse, she still calls me sensei. That's proof enough that she doesn't want me to be more than her teacher.

His spirits low, he didn't feel as hungry anymore. But he knew later on his stomach would be growling again so he looked around the restaurant to see if anyone was looking at him before pulling down his mask and tipping the contents of the bowl into his mouth. He ordered another, his stomach pleading for more food.

"Sorry." said the woman, an apologizing smile on her face. "You had the last bowl. The next batch won't be ready for another hour or so."

Kakashi, being the hungry man he was, decided he could wait an hour. In all reality, he didn't want to go back to the inn. He wanted time to himself, time to think.

The woman nodded and went to another table to take their order. Kakashi picked up his tea cup and took a sip of the contents inside. What is wrong with me? he wondered. Why am I like this? It was a simple answer: Sakura.

Kakashi groaned and hit his head on the edge of the counter, granting him a few curious looks from the people around him. Why did I have to be so foolish those three years ago? Why didn't I just _hug her? _

Because, said his other voice, you didn't find it important. Do you regret your decision?

Yes a thousand times over. How was he supposed to know that in the future Sakura would blossom into a woman that had completely changed from who she used to be? How was he supposed to know he wanted to be a part of the girls newly shaped life? He couldn't know! Now, he paid the price.

Kakashi berated himself over and over during the passing minutes before another bowl of food was set before him. Dimly he realized he had spent an entire hour and thirty minutes telling himself how stupid he was.

Talk about your confidence booster, he mused as he ate his second bowl. He wiped his lips free of any excess food before slipping the mask back over his face. Finding himself full and ready to leave, he quietly exited, no one noticing his departure.

Kakashi began his slow trek back to the inn. Once he got there, he decided that he would take a bath before going to sleep. He also reminded himself that he needed to talk to Sakura about the scroll he had sent across the river not too long ago and the reply he had received.

We'll have to leave soon, he thought to himself as he passed another stand with fish on it. Luckily the Miyazaki family understands. If Tsunade-sama found out…

Kakashi stopped abruptly, his eyes glued to the scene before him. It took him a second to register the young man kissing Sakura deeply in the shadows of a building.

A man… on Sakura… kissing her…

Once his brain had caught up, an unbelievable surge of anger swelled in his stomach. Never before had he felt such hate toward someone he didn't even know. All he knew was that he was going to kill the man. During his blood filled haze, he would _kill _the man.

"_What the hell are you doing on her?!_"

* * *

Sakura had been minding her own business, looking at a purse with green and white river pebbles beaded onto the leather, when a man had come up behind her and slapped a few bills on the counter.

"I believe this beautiful young lady would like that purse." said the young man, his voice hinting arrogance. He looked down at her from his position behind her and flashed a white smile. "You do want the purse, right?"

Sakura blinked, not registering the words that came out of his mouth. Dimly she realized that she was being hit on, but it had been so long (and so little) she couldn't think of anything intelligent to say. So, she opted for something a little more traditional.

"Uh…"

"Then the purse you shall have!" the man snatched the bag from the vendors hand and pushed it into Sakura's. He stepped back and put his index fingers and thumbs together in the shape of a rectangle, framing Sakura with the purse. "You look ravishing with it." he whispered.

Sakura was now able to speak with more than just noises and said, "Do I know you?"

"Not yet!" said the man, slinging his arm around her shoulder, must to Sakura's shock. "But I plan on making sure you will never forget the name Mugen!"

Sakura laughed nervously all the while thinking, Who does this man think he is? Apparently he thought he could latch on to any woman he liked seeing he had big muscles and a handsome face. However, Sakura was not the kind of girl to fall all over herself just because a hunky man hit on her. She could see right through his looks and into the womanizer he truly was.

"So what do you say?" said the man, leading them down the street. "Why don't you and I catch a bite to eat? I know this great place--"

"Sorry." said Sakura, stopping and dipping herself out of his grasp, "but I've already eaten." she pat her stomach for good measure. "I don't think I could eat anymore."

"Well…" Mugen tapped his chin in thought. "We could go grab a drink down at the bar." He smirked. "How does that sound? It'd be on me."

Sakura pondered for a moment. She hadn't enjoyed a good drink in a while and it _was _nearing sundown so it was well within the appropriate drinking time. AND Mugen had said he was paying…

She could never turn down a free drink, not even if the man was too big for his britches. "Alright." she said, crossing her arms. "I could enjoy a drink."

The man smiled and for a second, Sakura could see that deep down, the man had a kind heart. Somewhere beneath that large ego of his was indeed a kind heart. Or maybe she was just grasping for straws.

"Great. Well then, let's get going." He offered her the crook of his elbow and she took it with thanks. He led her down the other side of the street to a small bar that had opened a few weeks ago.

The inside was packed to the brim with people. Sakura was jostled every which way, bumping into burly men and large chested women like a ping pong ball. She felt a hand grope at her behind and her hand immediately snatched out and punched the hand away.

"It's a bit… packed, don't you think?" shouted Sakura, her body being squished up against Mugen's.

"It's always like this," he answered back, "but I have a table in the back that is always empty. We'll go and sit there."

Sure enough, in the far corner of the bar, was a table with three chairs. Mugen pulled out the chair for her and she sat down gratefully. He slid her back to the table with ease, making Sakura believe he had done this many times. Why else would he have his own private table? she mused.

Mugen sat down and snapped his fingers to get the bartender's attention. "You know what to get." said Mugen. The bartender, his bar itself not more than five feet away from the table, nodded and set about to making their drinks.

Mugen smiled at Sakura who was trying to get comfortable after not being on a date in a very long time. "He knows how to make a drink." he said, thumbing over to the bartender. "I let no one else make them for me."

"Oh. That's… nice." Sakura silently cursed at herself. Great Sakura. After three years, you can't come up with anything else but 'nice.' Well, aren't you the flirtatious type?

Sakura cleared her throat and looked down at her entwined fingers in her lap. Mugen saw the light blush on her cheeks and he smirked. Another easy one…

"You don't go out on dates very often, do you?"

Sakura looked up and blushed even deeper. She turned her gaze towards a bunch of men who were playing poker. "I haven't been able to." she said, watching as a man laid down a royal flush and gathered the money that sat in the middle of the table. "My job is far too demanding for things like this."

Mugen was slightly taken aback. Maybe she _won't _be as easy as I thought. "Well, why did you agree to go out with me?"

Sakura turned her face towards him and smirked. "That's easy; I haven't had a drink in a long time."

Mugen laughed making Sakura, in turn, laugh as well. "Well, an honest answer to be sure." he said. "And speak of the devil, here are our drinks now."

The bartender set down the two tall glasses of alcohol. "Here you go Mugen." he said, curling his fingers around the money the man had given him. "Enjoy."

"Always will." said Mugen, tipping his glass towards the man before taking a drink.

Sakura picked up her glass and stared at the contents. It was a pink liquid and it smelled sweet, but there was no denying the distinct odor of vodka.

"Take a sip." said Mugen, putting his own glass to his lips. "It's not poison."

Sakura chuckled softly just to be polite before taking a hesitant sip. Immediately she realized she _loved _the drink and tipped more into her mouth.

"That is…" she took another drink. "… _really _good." It was sweet, it was strong, it was tangy… It was everything that a drink needed and more. She held the glass up to Mugen who in turn held up his. "You know how to pick your drinks Mugen."

Mugen smiled and if Sakura had decided to look closer, she would see a hidden meaning behind his smile. "I must agree with you."

After an hour, Sakura was utterly intoxicated. The drink she was given was _immensely _strong and had certain… ingredients, that made the effects even more potent. Mugen's drink was a mere fruit juice while Sakura's…

"Do you know what it's like cutting into a person's stomach?" asked Sakura, her voice louder than necessary. "It's like cutting into goop." she carved the side of her hand into the table, moving it up in down in a saw like motion. "Sh-sh-sh-sh… Just like that." She moved her hand and looked at the table to see if she really _had _cut through the wood. To her surprise, it didn't.

"Oh well…" she sighed. Another idea formed in her head and she gripped the table with her hands on either side. She looked up at Mugen who was smiling at her. She gave him a smile in return, seeing as his smile was so handsome. "This table… is like a cookie." she whispered, shaking the table to emphasize her point. "I can make a good cookie." she nodded. "Yes, yes I can."

Mugen decided that the woman before him was far beyond the ability to be able to form a thought, much less defend herself. So, he stood up and removed Sakura's hands from the table.

"What're you… What're you doin?" she slurred out as Mugen pulled her to her feet. "I'm not… I need to show you…" Wait… what did she need to show him? She forgot. Ah well, guess it wasn't that important…

"Come on…" he said, his body eager for its explorations. "let's get out of here." Mugen pushed his way past the people, Sakura being drug around like a boneless beauty behind him. He managed to make his way out of the building and into the dark night. He looked around the street to see if anyone was around before pulling Sakura behind the bar and into the shadows of the alleyway.

Sakura felt the cool stone of the bar against her back just before she felt Mugen's hot lips on her neck. Immediately, even through her drunken haze, she knew something was wrong. _What the hell do you think you're doing you gross bastard?! _

"No…" she mumbled, pushing feebly on Mugen's shoulders. "Stop…"

Mugen knew from past experience that the women he treated to his 'Sweet Surrender' drink were never able to free themselves once he started. So instead, he just ran his hand along the edge of her shirt, feeling the smooth muscle of her stomach underneath. "Don't fight it." he whispered, his hand slipping under the fabric. "You want it…"

Her body obviously wanted it because it was arching to his touched, but her mind, or the rational part of her mind anyway, was protesting _mightily. _Again she pushed against him, her arms like lead. "No I don't… get off!"

Mugen was becoming slightly perturbed. Intent on making her his that night, he snaked his hand up higher to cup a cloth covered breast. "You want it. You know it." he squeezed gently and her body shivered. His hot tongue licked and bit at the crook of her neck, making its way slowly to her earlobe before nibbling on the flesh.

While Sakura's body was drifting into bliss, her eyes were burning with suppressed tears. Her mind was frightened, but mostly angry. Angry that her body was giving in so easily and angry she had accepted the drink in the first place.

"Please…" her voice cracked as Mugen kissed his way along her cheek. "Please stop."

"Quiet." Mugen captured her lips with his, devouring her. His tongue delved deep inside her orifice, greedily tasting her. His hand had pushed its way underneath her bra and was squeezing her roughly.

Sakura's eyes were wide and her arms had gone limp at her sides. She couldn't stop him. Her mind was in complete conflict with her body so it had just… shut down.

Another tear rolled down her cheek. Somebody… help me…

"_What the hell are you doing on her?!_"

Mugen had just enough time to register that someone had barged in on his exploration just before he was violently ripped off of his date and pinned against a wall, a hand around his throat.

Mugen stared at the silver haired man and realized that it was Komegawa Kakashi.

Then he realized that the girl he had taken advantage of was Komegawa Sakura.

Then he realized that Kakashi was pissed.

Then he knew he was going to be brutally murdered

Kakashi tightened his grip, fully intent on popping the man's head before him like a zit. "You've got five seconds to explain why you were slobbering all over Sakura."

Mugen gasped for air, his eyes bulging. He clawed at Kakashi's hand, trying to get him off, but Kakashi was not going to be deterred.

"Five seconds are up." he growled, his eyes narrowing. "And you've given me no reason to spare you life."

"Kakashi-sensei, wait."

Kakashi whipped his head around and stared at the disheveled Sakura. She was panting and leaning against the wall, her face hidden beneath her hair. "Don't hurt Mugen." she whispered. "It's not all… his fault."

Kakashi growled and squeezed Mugen's throat tighter. "I doubt it. This guy needs to die." Seeing him all over Sakura, his hands up her shirt, his lips on hers…

"He needs to die _now._"

There was not a snowball's change in _hell _that this pitiful excuse for a man was going to live. Oh no no no… The anger that was just _aching _to escape from his body was far beyond anything he had experienced before.

The image burned in his mind, fueling him, _urging him. _The man was not going to escape this alive. Not if he had anything to say about it.

"Kakashi-sensei, get off of him _now_."

Kakashi, shocked at Sakura's commanding tone, pulled away from Mugen, dropping him to the ground. As the man coughed and sputtered for breath, the silver haired shinobi turned to Sakura who was breathing heavily. "… Sakura?"

"Just… Just take me back to the room." sighed Sakura before sinking to the ground. Kakashi moved quickly and caught her before she landed. As he held her in his arms, he could smell the distinct odor of alcohol on her breath.

So that's why… Kakashi could care less if Sakura was drunk. It gave this 'Mugen' no right to take advantage of her. Kakashi stared down at the man who was holding his throat, his eye filled with pure unadulterated hate.

Okay, so maybe Mugen would live another night. And perhaps the nights to follow that one. But there was still the distinct feeling of rage that boiled in his chest. He wondered at how he was going to quell such a torrent of anger.

In fact, he wondered _why _he was so angry. Then again, any thought of any man on Sakura made him feel so livid.

"If I see you come within one hundred yards of Sakura… I _will _kill you. And trust me…" his eye narrowed, "I've killed before."

Mugen stared up in horror as Kakashi disappeared out of the alleyway, Sakura hanging limply in his arms. Kakashi felt his rage ebb away in place of worry for Sakura. "Sakura… are you alright?"

Sakura nodded, her face buried into Kakashi's shirt. "Yes. I'm fine. I just…" a pause. "I feel so foolish…"

Kakashi's eyes widened when he felt something wet bleed into his shirt. Immediately he recognized them as tears.

"Kakashi-sensei…" she whispered, her voice cracking. "… I was so careless. I…" her shoulders shook as a light sob escaped her lips. Kakashi tightened his grip around her and quickened his pace. Luckily the inn wasn't too far away.

When they entered the inn, Ume was sitting at the counter. Immediately when he saw the two 'siblings', she knew something had gone terribly wrong. "Kakashi…"

Kakashi cut her words off with a quick shake of his head. Ume fell silent and nodded in understanding.

Kakashi opened their door and shut it with his foot. Sakura was crying harder now, her tears making his shirt cling to him. Gently he deposited her on the bed, sliding the covers over her body. Sakura turned her teary eyed gaze to Kakashi's soft one. Her eyes shimmered and she buried her face into the pillow, sobbing.

Kakashi felt awful, watching her cry. He wished that he had left the restaurant sooner. He wished that he had stopped Mugen before anything bad had happened. But he didn't and now…

"I wish…" he murmured, turning his face to the window. "I wish I could have helped you. But I wasn't… I'm sorry."

Sakura's sobs lessened and she looked up at him, her green irises unimaginably rich in color. "Kakashi-sensei… you did nothing wrong. It was…" her eyes softened as her mistakes came clear to her. She turned around on her side, staring out of the window. "I was foolish. I knew the man was not one of truth. I could see his true intentions and I still went with him. I was…" she shook her head, closing her eyes in shame. "I do not deserve pity."

Kakashi looked down at Sakura, amazed. Long ago, Sakura would rather stab herself in the foot then admit her mistakes. But there she was, telling him she had messed up. It made him… proud.

"Sakura." his voice was deep and filled with his wisdom. Sakura turned her neck, looking at him through the corner of her eye. "You truly… have matured." Kakashi gave her a soft smile, his gaze warm. "In accepting your mistakes do you truly learn from them. I am happy that you are able to do this and proud to know that you can do so."

Sakura turned around fully, her eyes wide. Her mouth was open slightly and tears spilled down her cheeks. Her gaze turned soft and vulnerable. Her voice was pleading.

"Kakashi-sensei… hold me."

Kakashi's eye widened. "Sa… Sakura?"

"Please… just hold me." she looked down to the sheets, her hair fanning around her. "I need…" Sakura's fingers grasped onto the comforter, her knuckles turning white. "I just need someone… anyone…"

Kakashi stared down at Sakura, his eye still wide. Sakura's shoulders were shaking and her soft sobs were quick and filled with sorrow. Why did he hesitate? What was wrong with him? Why did he not reach out to her when she needed him?

He reached his hand out and pulled back, still undecided. Why couldn't he just hold her? He knew it was that strange feeling he was having. What was it? What was the foreign and uncomfortable emotion he had?

Damn… it was fear. He feared Sakura! He growled slightly and turned his gaze away from the girl. He really did not deserve to be her friend if he couldn't comfort her after a traumatic experience. He felt disgusted with himself.

He wanted to tell her that he couldn't possibly do such a thing for her, but some rational thought told him that would be a grave mistake. You didn't give her a hug and she refused to speak to you. If you don't comfort her now... there's no telling what further damage could be done.

Kakashi, for all he was, could not risk something like that again. He couldn't begin to think about Sakura totally severing any connections they had. That thought alone hurt much more than any fear could instill.

"Sakura…" he was afraid and he didn't know why. He couldn't figure out why his hands had suddenly begun to shake. All he knew was that Sakura needed him and if he was going to have any part in her life, he would have to be there for her when she needed him.

Slowly he moved towards her and Sakura shifted on the bed. She rested her head on his thigh, her body facing the opposite wall. Kakashi rested his hand on her head, his fingers trailing through her hair slightly. "Don't worry Sakura." he murmured, feeling her relax. "I'm here."

Sakura breathed in deeply, Kakashi's scent soothing her senses. Her troubled mind calmed and became like glass. Slowly, her eyes began to drift closed. She sighed and nudged herself closer to his body. "Thank you… Kakashi-sensei…"

"You know Sakura… I'm not your sensei."

His words fell on deaf ears. Sakura was already asleep. Kakashi looked down, slightly amused. But he closed his eyes and leaned back up against the pillows. "Good night Sakura." he murmured before drifting off to sleep.

--


	5. Dreams and Sorrow

--

Kakashi woke up in the middle of the night. Blinking a few times to clear his slightly blurred vision, he shifted in his upright position. Moving his hand to rub at his eye, he noticed a silky touch slipping across his fingers. Looking down, the moonlight revealed the peaceful, tear streaked face of Sakura.

She looked tranquil in the pale lunar beams. Her mouth was parted slightly as she breathed in and out within her deep sleep. Kakashi found himself watching her as she slept, unable to take his eyes off of her. His hand stroked her hair softly as he watched her, his palm warm.

Things were changing. Something was altered between them. Kakashi, unfortunately, was the only one apparently obvious to the tenseness between them. This made him believe _he _was the problem, not _them. _If that was true, then there was a big dilemma on his hands.

Kakashi was trying to crumble the foundation that was his worry. Valiantly, he searched for a flaw in his train of thought, trying to find it's one weakness and stop his ideas before they grew out of hand. However, as the evidence began to pile up against him, he was finding his exploration a fruitless endeavor.

Leaning his head back against the pillows, he sighed with vexation.

It was clear by how he reacted with Mugen that there _was _something up with him. The rage and jealousy that had burned within him was something he could not ignore, even if he wanted to. The question was what was it?

Kakashi was a kind of man that didn't let things get to him. It came with all of the experiences in his life. This... _thing _with Sakura however made him unnerved; something that he did not enjoy one bit. It was getting to the point that it left him afraid to look at the green eyed jonin.

Kakashi felt a headache forming. Rubbing his forehead with the flat of his head, he tried to ignore Sakura shifting her position on his leg. The blankets shuffled quietly on the bed as she began moving, bringing a sort of quiet whisper to the room.

Sakura smiled in her sleep, snuggling her face into Kakashi's leg. The warmth of his person was a stark contrast to the cool of the room. The young woman breathed in deeply and sighed, her fingers digging into his thigh.

Kakashi's breath hitched in his throat. Pulling his hands completely off of her, he lifted them and forced his hands to grasp his hair and _not _Sakura's head. Sakura grumbled softly in her sleep from the lack of warmth from his hands and shifted again, her nose coming dangerously close to his stomach.

Something lurched inside of him, and more specifically, down in his pants area. Deeming it too uncomfortable and _far _too hazardous, he carefully shifted himself from out underneath Sakura. "Definitely something is up…" he murmured to himself as he ran a hand through his hair, free from Sakura's person.

Feeling hot, he went to the bathroom and turned on the tap. He pulled down his mask and splashed cold water onto his face. Wiping his eyes free with a flick of his wrist, he looked at himself in the mirror.

Even though the water had made his thoughts slightly sharper, there was still the dark curling feeling in his abdomen. Sighing, he rested his forehead against the cool mirror, closing his eyes. "God, what is wrong with me?"

Yes… His initial ideas were quickly becoming something that should have never been. But they were there and were threatening to destroy an already fragile relationship. He couldn't risk losing the friendship that he had tried so hard to fix.

The feeling he had... It was the same feeling he had for many other women. When he saw them and felt their bodies close to his, he had the same curling desire. But with Sakura, there came a price for such a greedy fantasy. That was what made it so horrible.

Wiping his face free of any liquid, he made his way back into the room. Sakura hadn't moved from where he left her, making her appear almost vulnerable. She was curled up in the middle of the bed, her head nestled in deeply into where Kakashi's old body heat was still present in the mattress.

Kakashi's eyes darted across the room, unsure of his decision to shift Sakura into a more comfortable position on the bed. Sakura shivering solidified his choice. Moving over to the bed, he hooked his arm underneath her knees and moved her softly until her head was resting on the pillows. He pulled the covers up to her chin, forcing his hands to fall from her form. Making sure she appeared comfortable, he made his way to the far side of the room.

Sliding down the wall, he pulled his _Icha Icha Paradise. _Finding his place in the book, he began to read the rest of the erotica. Sleep would not come to him that night, so there was no point in trying to fight it.

* * *

A week after the event with Mugen, Sakura was back up and ready to go. After that night, Sakura had asked Kakashi to never speak of the incident again. His only response was a slight nod of the head. Still, Sakura was relieved.

I do not need a constant reminder of my foolish mistake, she thought to herself as she counted out her money. One night is enough. I do not need the memory. After counting out five thousand yen, she pocketed the rest and made her way down the street. She navigated her way though the mass of people to the market area. "I need to get some more soap," she murmured to herself as she twisted her way out of the path of a cart. "I used up the two bars that Kakashi-sensei gave me."

Sakura knew that Unon would be the more expensive shopping stop now that all of their suppliers were cut off and were now selling their curios in River's Bend. Being the smart shopper she was, she wanted to get what she needed before continuing on to the larger city.

"_We're leaving?"_

_Kakashi nodded as he took another sip of his tea. "Yes. The letter that I sent two weeks ago… I received a reply." Kakashi reached into his vest and pulled out the scroll, handing it to Sakura. She took it quickly and rolled it open, her eyes taking in the words._

"_Whew," she blew a sigh of relief as she leaned back into her chair. "I'm glad they aren't mad with us." she ran a hand through her hair, scratching her fingers on the back of her head. "I don't think I could face Tsunade-sensei if we came back with a failed mission over our heads."_

_Kakashi nodded in agreement, but he seemed absorbed in other thoughts. Sakura noticed this and waved her hand in front of his face. "Yoo hoo, Kakashi-sensei? You alright?" _

_Kakashi looked up, staring at her for a moment, before blinking and smiling. "Yes. I'm fine. I was just thinking is all." _

"_Oh?" Sakura leaned her cheek into her hand, her elbow propped up on the table. "What were you thinking about?"_

_Kakashi rose and eyebrow and hovered the rip of his cup close to his lips. "Really Sakura, are you that nosy?"_

_Sakura huffed and crossed her arms, leaning back into her chair. "Fine then, don't tell me."_

"_Alright then, I won't." _

_Sakura growled and wrinkled her nose at him. "You can be such a butthead sometimes."_

"_And you can be Miss Nosy."_

"_Shush it!"_

So, in light of their coming departure, Sakura was now gathering new supplies. She wanted to make sure she had enough of her own items so she could focus her time on her job and not worry about what she did and didn't have.

Always come prepared, she thought to herself as she handed over a few bills in exchange for a small bag with body products inside. She said a quick goodbye and made her way over to another stand.

A shock of silver hair caught her eye and she weaved her way through the crowd, doing her best not to knock anyone over. "Kakashi-sensei, wait up!"

Kakashi recognized the feminine voice and turned his head to gaze lazily at the pink haired medic nin who was doing her best not to create a collision. "Why hello Sakura." he said, looking down at her after she had made it scratch free. "Getting ready for our departure already I see."

"Well," she hefted the small canvas bag over her shoulder, shrugging. "I figured I might as well. Prices are going to be killer in Unon so I thought 'what the hell, might as well.'" She saw Kakashi move something behind his back and she immediately became curious. She stood on her tip toes and attempted to peer over Kakashi, but all he did was shift himself so she could only see his shoulder. "What are you hiding behind your back, sensei?"

Kakashi smiled down at her, his closed eye turned upward. "Wouldn't you like to know, Miss Nosy."

Unknown to him, Sakura had seen the orange behind his back and she gave a sly look, her lips turned in a grin. "Bought yourself another _Icha Icha _volume, did you?"

Kakashi blinked and pulled the book out. There was no point in hiding anymore seeing that Sakura had already found him out. "I finished the one I had. I needed something else to read."

Sakura rolled her eyes and pushed past him. Kakashi followed right behind her and she didn't mind. "You are such a pervert Kakashi-sensei." she said with a small sigh. "I swear, it's like you can't live without your erotica."

"Hey," he said, slightly put off, "these books are very well written. It's not all porn, I assure you."

Sakura snorted. "Yeah, I'm sure that's why you buy the books. To enjoy a romantic story and the words that are weaved."

"Well," said Kakashi, scratching the back of his head, "I must admit that that was not drew me to the books the first time." He heard Sakura give a small 'hah' and he set about to recover his pride. "But once I started actually _reading,_ the material around the… intimacy, is rather well written."

Sakura shook her head and stopped at another stand, looking down at the different medicinal teas that were on display. "Whatever Kakashi-sensei." she picked up three different tins and paid the vendor the appropriate amount of money before shoving them into her pack. "You read what you want to read. I'm not here to judge."

Kakashi blinked at her words, almost left confused. Sakura sounded so different at that moment, almost matured to a point of full adulthood. It was so surprising because such words didn't really seem to match coming out of the beautiful petite mouth such as hers.

Those self same lips were moving at that moment as Sakura spoke. However, her words were like muffles to him as his eyes refused to leave her pink mouth. Kakashi swallowed and tore his gaze away from her face, forcing himself to read his porn.

"…in the end." Sakura looked down at the small amount of money she had left. Suddenly she had a craving. Looking over to Kakashi whose entire face was enveloped within his _Icha Icha _Sakura felt almost put out at how he appeared to be completely ignoring her. "Hey, do you want to go and get some tea or something?"

Kakashi looked up over his pages, curious. "Oh? You're treating _me_?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, heaving a sigh. "Do you want some tea or not? I'm trying to be nice here."

Kakashi thought about it for a moment before pocketing his book and sticking his hands into his pockets. "Well, seeing that you're going out of your way to treat me, I don't see any reason to turn down your offer."

"Then let's get going." she said before turning around and heading up the opposite side of the street.

There was a small tea shop tucked in between a grocer and tool shop. The small flag with the black cat embroidered into it was a sure sign that the Black Cat was open for business.

Sakura opened the door, a bell ringing as she did so. Immediately, her nose was assaulted with many different smells, all of them pleasing to her senses. There were people around them, sitting at tables, enjoying their drinks. Sakura noticed that most of them were elderly folk, but there were a few young faces. Sakura also noticed that those young faces were usually those of a couple.

"Welcome back Sakura." said the elderly woman standing at the side of the door. "And you too Kakashi."

The two nins inclined their heads in respect for the elderly lady. "Good afternoon Hana." said Sakura, smiling at the tea shop owner. "I trust that you have room to sit us?"

Hana smiled, her old eyes misty but still full of life. "Of course we have room for you. Come, come," she beckoned the two to follow her with an arthritic hand. "we'll serve you some nice jasmine tea. How does that sound?"

"As pleasant as always Hana." smiled Sakura, sitting down on the old wooden chair the woman had gestured to her.

"Then I'll be back with your drink." said Hana, smiling one last time, before disappearing into the back.

Sakura inhaled the soothing smells and closed her eyes, relaxing. "I think this is the best tea shop I've ever been in." she said, smiling to herself.

Kakashi was polite enough _not _to pull out his _Icha Icha Violence _he had just purchased. Not a good idea in front of all of these elderly women… "Yes, this is a rather nice tea shop." he said, looking around him.

The tea shop was small, but homely. There were old paintings along the walls, their frames worn with age. Trinkets hung beside them, ranging between old wine bottles, different colored doll dresses, to even woven patterns made of straw.

Kakashi had a feeling that Hana was one of a long line of her family that had run the shop. It was clear that whoever had bought the shop decorated it as they would their own home. In short, it gave the shop a sort of calming atmosphere, making it popular for the elderly and the lovesick.

Kakashi found himself looking at Sakura. Her head was tilted back, her eyes looking at the floral wallpaper on the ceiling. Her hair hung behind her, the color almost purple looking in the dim light of the store. Her slender neck was exposed, her smooth skin stretched taunt. He could see the bone of her jaw curve upward to her ear before disappearing behind more hair.

Sakura sat back upright in her chair and looked to Kakashi who was apparently interested in a portrait of a young girl curled up in a quilt. "You like that picture?"

Kakashi looked over at her briefly before switching his gaze to another picture on the opposite side of the room. "No. I was just looking."

Sakura looked at the little girl again. The detail in the painting was amazing really. She wondered how the artist had been able to capture the soft sun of the morning and the cool fabric of the quilt at the same time. And the child's eyes were sparkling and full of untapped knowledge. Her pink lips were curled into a smile and she wondered exactly what the girl was smiling at.

Maybe a new day. Maybe the sun of a fresh morning is what made her smile. Sakura had once believed that any childish behavior was uncalled for from a growing young lady like herself and all acts must be rid of. Now, as she sat, staring at the portrait, she wished she had kept some of her childhood innocence.

What a life she could live if she had still been a child. She could go day to day without a care in the world. She would see everyone as a friend and no one as a fool. She would be eternally happy even in the most ominous of days.

Then again, she thought as she turned her gaze away from the portrait, to be a child is to be naive to the world. And in the times we live in, no good will come out of being naïve. If she was like that, she would have died long ago, especially in the profession she had chosen.

The cups clacked against the table as Hana set them down before the two nin. Sakura pulled out the rest of her money and gave it to Hana. "Thank you Sakura." said Hana, tucking the money into the pocket of her apron.

"No, thank you." said Sakura, gesturing to her tea. "I always enjoy anything that you make and it always puts me in better spirits. I don't think I could ask for anything else."

Hana gave her a sweet smile before turning around to look at Kakashi. Kakashi looked up politely, but his gaze was just as sluggish as ever. Hana gave him a sly smile, her eyes twinkling. She pat him on the shoulder, much to his surprise, before heading back to the kitchen.

Sakura watched her go and then turned to Kakashi who was staring at his cup. "She's fond of you." said Sakura, picking up her cup and blowing at the hot liquid. "I don't see how that could be possible but…" she shrugged teasingly before sipping up the delicious brew.

Kakashi watched Sakura drink, watching how her slender fingers were clasped around the ceramic cup. Her lips were bright red from the heat of the tea and—

Kakashi brought his own cup to his lips, tipping the cup back. Kakashi, you're doing it again… Sakura's eyes were lidded as she blew on the tea again, but he could still see the deep green of her orbs. It was amazing how rich the color of her eyes were.

Sakura set down her cup, perplexed. "Kakashi-sensei, you aren't supposed to drink so fast, you'll--"

Kakashi sputtered, dropping the cup onto the table and coughing up the tea. People glanced in their direction, scowls on their faces. One even had the audacity to say, "Thanks for ruining the mood!"

"—burn yourself." finished Sakura, sinking lower into her chair, her face flaming.

Once they got outside (in all actuality, they just wanted to get away from the dagger gaze that belonged to the people inside the tea shop) Kakashi realized he had been very stupid. The jasmine tea down the front of his flak jacket was enough proof.

"Kakashi-sensei," chided Sakura, her hands on her hips as they walked, "what gave you the idea to chug down scalding temperature tea?"

Kakashi blinked. What was the reason again? Ah yes, because I was checking you out Sakura.

"I… thought the tea was cool enough."

Sakura pinched the brow of her nose, shaking her head. "You can be such a putz sometimes, you know that?"

Kakashi laughed nervously, his eye closed and curved up in a smile. "I have my moments."

Ahead of them was the inn. Sakura sighed in relief as they drew closer to the door. Once she was in stepping distance of the entrance, she stopped and turned around, confused.

"Kakashi-sensei, where are you going?"

Kakashi had continued walking down the street and towards another part of town where it was mostly forest. "I'm not going back up yet." he said. "The sun is still up and I'm not tired."

"Yeah, but we have to leave early tomorrow morning." said Sakura, her brow creased in concern. "You need to get all the rest you need."

Kakashi looked at her feminine form, his eyes trailing down the curve of her neck to the curve of her sides. She was blessed with an attractive body and it made him look her over once more.

Sakura crossed her arms. "What?"

Her arms were now pushing her breasts together, making them much more prominent and tempting to the male eye. Kakashi swallowed and turned his gaze away.

"I'll be back in a little while." he said a moment later, refusing to look back at her. Naughty thoughts were beginning to cloud his mind and he needed to get rid of them. Fast.

"But Kakashi-sensei--"

"No Sakura." he said finally. "I'll be there in a little while. Just head on up without me."

Sakura looked at him a moment more, still worried as to why he wouldn't rest. Shrugging off the weird feeling she said, "Alright, fine. Do what you want. The door will be unlocked so come on in whenever you want." Sakura opened the inn door and put a foot in before adding, "Don't be out too late."

"I know."

Sakura began to worry again, but forced herself to head back up to the room. She knew her sensei would come on his own accord. She wasn't there to baby him.

Once the door to the inn shut, Kakashi was already on the move. He needed to get away, far away.

Kakashi went through the forest, down by the edge of the river and to the highest point in the village. He went everywhere except to the inn. He did not want to be by the inn because the person that was probably sleeping there made him feel unnerved.

"What's wrong with me?" he murmured to himself, running a hand through his hair. "Why am I thinking these thoughts?"

He needed to get of the awkward feeling and fast. It was like a heavy weight suddenly dropped upon him. He needed to get it off of him before he was crushed under its power.

He trained for the remainder of the day. He focused on his speed by sailing through the trees. He practiced his accuracy, throwing kunai and senbon into makeshift targets. He even asked Hitoshi to spar with him.

Kakashi jumped when Hitoshi's large fist came down above him. With his hands tied behind his back he had no other option. His eyes blinded by the cloth tied around his head, he sensed where the next attack was going to be.

To the left! He jumped and Hitoshi missed him by a wide margin. The big man grunted and swung a right, one that Kakashi dodged easily.

"Faster Hitoshi!" Kakashi called as the big man sent out a foot. "Make this harder for me!" He needed to keep his mind off of things. He needed to focus his attention away from people. From Sakura.

Need to get her out of my thoughts. _Have _to get here out of my thoughts. Damn, I don't even know how they came to be. And what's worse…

The image of her face smiling and her shinning green eyes made him lose concentration. Hitoshi's fist connected with his gut and he flew back into a nearby tree. He groaned and slid to the ground, coughing up a bit.

"Kakashi!" Hitoshi ran towards his beaten down friend, his eyes creased in worry. He silently berated himself for hitting him with more force than necessary, but he had asked him to go hard on him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" he grunted, standing back up. "You just hit… really hard." He pulled out a kunai from his pocket and slashed his bindings free. He took off the blindfold and rubbed his wrists. "Thanks." he said simply, picking up the rope.

"No problem." Hitoshi raised an eyebrow, looking at Kakashi with a critical look. His friend seemed occupied with something that he couldn't pin. Even though he hadn't known him for a very long time, he knew what Kakashi was going through was completely out of his character.

"Kakashi… my friend… Is something the matter?"

Kakashi sighed. He stepped towards the edge of the clearing they had fought in, his feet shuffling against the dirt. He stopped where the grass had begun to grow and looked down at the inn. Smoke pooled out of the chimney and rose into the red sky.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Yes." Hitoshi moved beside him and looked down at his village. Everything seemed to be at peace now. The people were in better spirits, the river had gone down, and everything seemed to be right with the world. Everything except Kakashi. "What's on your mind?"

Kakashi took in a deep breath, almost as if he was hesitating. He crossed his arms. "I don't know what's on my mind." he started low, his voice unsure of itself. "I can't sort out my thoughts. They're jumbled like a difficult jigsaw. I haven't… I haven't been this confused in a very long time."

When it came to Sakura, he didn't know anymore. At first, he was confused as to why did he tried so hard to get closer to her. He had wondered why he wanted to become a part of her life. It had made no sense! He was the man, The Copy Ninja, notoriously known for his solitude. Of course he was sociable to a point, but the line of friendship was not as far as others.

Now, he was looking at her. But not looking at her, _looking _at her. He was _looking her over_, not something a former sensei should be doing. In fact, even if he hadn't been her sensei, he _still _shouldn't be doing it. But he was!

When did it start? He searched through his memory of the last few weeks and couldn't seem to differentiate between the days. In fact, they all seemed to blend together in one single memory. All he knew was that he was thinking thoughts he shouldn't be.

He wanted to be her friend, but it was becoming increasingly hard to do that while gawking over her flourishing body. He _wanted _to be a shoulder to cry on, but he would probably end up smelling her. Kakashi inwardly groaned. He was only a man! What the hell else was he supposed to do?

"Kakashi?"

Kakashi shook himself out of his thoughts and looked up at Hitoshi who was looking down at him, worried. Kakashi managed a small smile and walked back into the middle of the dirt clearing. "I'm fine," he assured to himself more than anyone. "I'm… fine, at least for now. Come," he tied the blindfold over his eyes again and clasped his hands behind his back. "attack me. I'm not done yet."

When he got back late that night with another good sized bruise on his arm (again, Sakura's fault), Sakura had fallen asleep. But she was not on the bed. She was curled up in a blanket, sleeping where he usually slept: on the floor.

Kakashi went to go and put her back in bed, but was stopped by the sight of a small note lying on the bed. He picked it up and read.

_Thought you'd might like the bed tonight._

Kakashi looked down at the sleeping nin, his eye softening. "You're too kind." he whispered. He took off his shoes and vest and relaxed underneath the covers. The bed was a nice change from the floor but he still couldn't help but feel bad for Sakura.

"She did much more work than me." he said, looking back down at her. She was wrapped up rather tightly in the thin blanket. He knew that the cold floor would keep her uncomfortable.

"Alright, no more of that." grunted Kakashi, getting out of the bed. He bent down and slowly picked Sakura up. She mumbled incoherent words and tucked herself closer to his chest. Gently, he laid her down on the far side of the bed. There would be plenty of space between them; the bed was rather large.

At first, he had regretted his decision. Could he really trust his mind and body to keep his distance?

If you can't Kakashi, he thought as he adjusted the blankets around the sleeping nin, then you can't call yourself a jonin.

After Kakashi deemed Sakura was tucked in snugly he walked over to his own side and slipped under the covers. He fell asleep within minutes.

* * *

_Looking down at my cup, I realized all the things that had indeed changed. I knew that she would never come to realize the truth, but then again, I refused to accept it as well. I fought it with tooth and nail… And I succeeded._

_The sake is rather good this night, making my lonely weekend a little better. I know she will be off with her new husband, living her life to its fullest. She always appeared to be such a happy woman with him on her arm. The other day for example, her smile was so bright__ she didn't even spare me a passing glance._

_That's what I am now, another shadow in her memory. At one point in my life, I had once had tried to break such a barrier. Then, I had to go and screw up. Luckily for her, she was able to bounce back and live a life of happiness and prosperity._

_But… Where did that leave me?_

_I'm just the same as I have been for the last few years. I still live my lonely life, bedding women to subdue the occasional urges. I still work, I still breathe, I still exist. I have nothing to complain about, nothing to pine over._

_But then… Why do I ache?_

_Damn. The jealousy is back. And the sake isn't as strong as I wish it was. Hah, I'm becoming a drunk. But I still keep some of my sanity. Why? Because it's not the end of the world. Even though she doesn't look at me, the skies don't burst into flame, giving me another day to live._

_Ah, the brown haired beauty coming my way will help me with my quest to end these thoughts. A few smooth words and a little alcohol will make things move along more quickly. At least, that was what happened last time. _

_Even though the waitress's smile is beautiful, it's nothing compared to yours. Unfortunately, I was never able to see the mind behind the smile. I couldn't get past my stupid male urges. _

_Eh, what do they know? They no nothing, that's what. And look, the woman is obviously enjoying herself. She didn't burst into tears like you. _

_God, you were so weak. I don't know why I even went after you. You need to learn to get stronger, to accept what happened! Some things just occur and you need to live with them, not do what you did! So what that I told you things would never be? So what if I only wanted your body? You're alive and you have your health. What more could you ask for?_

_My apartment has been empty for the last few weeks. The last woman in here was a blonde, but even her body could not erase the image of you. You, tangled in my sheets, you screaming my name. Your glistening body against mine was nothing compared to her. Even as I move against this other woman, I still can't seem to forget you._

_Damn… I'm so weak. Here I am, blaming you. It was my fault!_

"My fault…"

_I shouldn't have given in so easily. I shouldn't have let things grow out of hand. God I miss our friendship, our times together. You always trusted me, told me of your aspirations. Things had seemed so right, so pure._

"What now…?"

_I know I should have never taken you to my bed that one night. I knew I should have sent you home. But you were so tempting, so beautiful… I had to have you. I had wanted you for a long time, and that night was too good to pass up. My lust for you was too strong to fight. I had struggled with it for a long time, and that moment broke my restraint away. _

_That night… Everything about that night, those few hours, was bliss. All of my fantasies came to life. You were there, your smiles and sighs the only things that were needed to keep me going. And you were so beautiful, something that even my mind could not supply._

_This woman beneath me is wonderful, yes. And she is doing her job to make my night a little more bearable. But she still cannot erase your memory. Then again, what can?_

_Even though I may have messed up…_

"Did I…?"

… _And even though I may have thrown away what we had…_

"Surely…"

… _God Sakura, you are so good in bed._

* * *

Kakashi sat up with a jolt, his eye wide. He gasped for breath as he gripped the sheets of the bed. Turning a quick eye to the other side of the mattress, it was clear that Sakura was sleeping soundly next to him.

Closing his eye, he slowly lay back down into the pillows, wiping away the small beads of sweat on his brow. Yes, things were quickly growing out of proportion…

"Just a dream," he murmured to himself, trying to accept the blanket of sleep that hovered above him. "Nothing more than a dream…"

Everything had seemed so real, so alive. The images and the colors, they all appeared to be what reality was.

But if it was reality, than it was a harsh one. If his dream was one of truth, then it depicted the future that would be if he continued his course of thought.

Kakashi grappled with the image of a certain pink haired kunoichi beneath him, twisting for more. With a few mental commands, he pushed the thoughts aside, saving them for a time that he didn't need sleep.

"Only a dream," he assured himself again before relaxing back into the bed. "Only a dream…"

He needed to keep his mind on his original goal. He wanted to be her friend. He still longed for such a relationship and he was not about to lose that because of a stupid fantasy.

"Only a dream."

* * *

"Sakura."

Something was poking her in the ribs. She pushed it away irritably and turned over on her side. The finger attacked her again.

"Sakura."

"Go away…" she grumbled, swatting the pestering finger away. "Sleepy…"

The finger poked harder this time and it made Sakura whine in pain. "Up Sakura!"

Sakura cracked an eye open and stared up at the blurry form of Kakashi. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, sitting up against the pillows.

Wait, pillows?

"What am I doing in the bed?" asked Sakura, looking around at the covers.

Kakashi had moved away from her after seeing she had woken up and was now searching through his bag. "I put you in the bed."

"What? Why?" Sakura swung her legs over the side of the bed and rolled her ankles. "It was your turn!"

Kakashi was in the bathroom, checking if he had missed anything. "Oh, I still slept in the bed. I mean," he peered out from behind the doorway, "how could I turn down such an offer?"

Sakura gaped at him and flushed pink. "I would have rather slept on the floor than share a bed with you." she grumbled. Silently she had felt grateful he had moved her. The floor _was _uncomfortable and cold.

"Stay in the bathroom." she called out as she picked up her backpack and rummaged through it.

"Why?"

"I need to change." Sakura fished out a new set of clothes and immediately set about to changing out of her old ones.

As Sakura dressed, she looked out of the window to the dim shimmer that was the river. It had been an obstacle that they had tried to overcome many times. At first, they had tried to cross over with a boat, but unfortunately, a boat could not be found. Later they discovered that most of the fishing had been off the docks and if they needed nets, then they had come to the right place. Boats were practically useless to them being the small town they were. Then there was the fact that most of the small ships were destroyed or swept away by the many floods.

Later on after that, they tried to cross the bridge. But it was still submerged to the point where it wasn't visible at all. After that, Kakashi deemed it too early to set a course of action and had sent a messenger bird to Unon to tell them their state of affairs.

Now they were finally getting out of the town that had been their prison. They would finally be heading back out to work, escaping from their small vacation.

In a small sense, it saddened Sakura.

"You can come out." She slipped on her jonin vest and tied her hitai-ate around her forehead. Kakashi stepped out and was running a Quick Brush over his teeth. Watching him reminded her that she needed a quick brush too.

"What time is it?" she asked as she looked through her backpack for her box of Quick Brush.

"Five." Kakashi leaned up against the wall and pulled out _Icha Icha Violence. _"We are to meet Hitoshi down by the bridge in ten minutes."

Sakura tossed the used Quick Brush in a nearby trashcan and drug a brush through her hair. "Are you sure the river is low enough? I checked the other day out of curiosity and even though it _has _gotten lower, it's still pretty deep."

"It has to be. We can't stay here much longer. We are behind schedule enough as it is. Besides, the Miyazaki family has been patient long enough. It's time we get moving." I'm amazed myself they didn't fire us, thought Kakashi.

Sakura strapped on her shoes and stood up, slinging the backpack over her shoulder. "I know. I thought about that too." She ran her hand down the side of her face. "I glad they understand, for the most part."

Sakura gave the room one last look before following Kakashi out of the room. The inn was quiet and the only sound was her and the silver haired jonin's footsteps.

Ume was up as she usually was enjoying a cup of hot tea. Kakashi stepped forward and placed the small silver key down on the counter. "Well, we're off."

Ume looked up over the rim of her cup, her eyebrow raised. "So early?" she set down her tea and crossed her arms. "Why?"

"We need to get going. We have business to take care of and if we don't leave, we won't get the chance."

Ume studied Kakashi for a moment, wondering if he had anything else to say. When he didn't continue, she stood up out of her chair and walked towards Sakura. The pink haired nin backed up until she hit the far wall. Ume stared her down, pinning her on the spot.

"Keep him in line." she thumbed towards Kakashi, making Sakura confused. "I trust you'll do so."

"Um…" Sakura looked to Kakashi for assistance, but he was staring at the opposite wall, his head turned to where she could only see the metal plate of his hitai-ate.

Ume had been an interesting part of her time in River's Bend, that much was sure. And while most of their encounters were not well met, there were a few incidents where she seemed to let on more than she knew.

Kakashi had always seemed a bit... off, for lack of a better word, when he was around Ume. Sakura never really understood as to why it was, but she had a feeling it was the clever twinkle behind her eyes.

Sakura blinked back at those same exact eyes, feeling very vulnerable and small compared to the big woman.

"I… will?"

Ume nodded, her permanent scowl softening a little. "Good." she reached into the front of her apron and pulled out a square of something wrapped in cloth. "Tea… For the trip ahead."

Sakura took the small package out of the woman's hands. "Thanks." she murmured before slipping it into her pocket. The woman nodded and went back to her seat. Sakura saw that Kakashi had moved to the door and was holding it open for her.

Sakura bowed to Ume who sipped at her tea. "Thank you." she said quietly before slipping out of the inn. Behind her she heard Ume say something, but she couldn't make it out. She swore she heard 'good luck' but she wasn't sure.

That would be the last time either of them saw Ume. She would pass away a few days later. The tea she drank was medicinal and it held her illness at bay.

Ume on her deathbed would reflect back upon the two ninja who had been to her small village. She would wish them good fortunes in their future before slipping off into eternal slumber.

* * *

The entire town was asleep. Kakashi and Sakura's footsteps crunching on the ground were the only things that made sound. Sakura looked around at the people who were lying on the ground and recognized a few of them. I remember healing him, she thought as she passed a young man, and that girl too. And him as well!

She couldn't believe how many people she had interacted with. So many lives had come in contact with hers. It was almost unreal.

Her body still ached from all of the healing she had done.She rolled her shoulder, her muscles tensing up at the memory. So many people… I haven't had the proper time to replenish my chakra.

"You okay?" asked Kakashi.

"Yeah." said Sakura, stretching out her other arm. "I just hope I can recover soon."

The two passed under the archway that was the entranceway to the town. Sakura and Kakashi didn't look back once.

* * *

The railings on the bridge stood out of the water just barely. White bubbles cascaded down the sides of the rails when the fast waters of the river sailed through. It moved fast, so much that the rushing water sounded like a strong wind.

Sakura's feet sunk slightly into the muddy bank of the river. It made a squishing sound that was not unlike that of a ketchup bottle. Sakura didn't care about the wet dirt that seeped into her shoes or the mud that sprayed up the sides. She was going to have to get wet that morning and she decided that she might as well not make a fuss over it.

Hitoshi stood a few hundred yards ahead. The big man waved his hand and Kakashi gave him a quick flick of the wrist in response. Hitoshi was standing a few steps away from where the railing to the bridge came out of the water. She guessed that the planks of the bridge itself were still underwater.

"Good morning." called Hitoshi, rubbing his hands together. "So, are you ready to go?"

"More or less." said Kakashi easily, stopping a ways before the man. Sakura stood beside him and tilted her head back. She had thought Kakashi was tall, but Hitoshi…! He was unnaturally big.

"Hello pretty lady!" smiled Hitoshi, his beard moving slightly. "Akane wasn't able to get up this morning, but she wanted me to tell you goodbye and that she'll miss talking to you."

Sakura gave a weak smile and shrugged. "That's too bad. Tell her that I say good bye too and that I will miss our talks as well." She glanced over to Kakashi who was looking at the river. "I'm sure you had a good enough time with big brother here too, right?"

Kakashi shifted next to her and Sakura repressed a giggle. It was weird calling him 'big brother' but it was all worth while to make Kakashi uneasy.

"He's been great fun!" bellowed Hitoshi, clapping Kakashi on the back. Kakashi coughed a little, trying to regain the breath that had been beat out of him. "He will be missed."

Sakura peered out of the corner of her eye. She was curious as to how he would react to such a complement. Much to her irritation, she saw Kakashi's droopy eye expression hadn't changed. His hair was just as spiky, his posture was just as slack and his enthusiasm was just as dead as ever.

It's a wonder how this man came to like you, Sakura thought, annoyed.

Hitoshi pointed down the bridge. "You can cross," he said, "but you'll have to wade though the water. The railings will keep you from getting swept away." he explained.

There was a silence between the trio. Hitoshi shifted on his feel while Kakashi stood and watched the river. Sakura rolled her eyes and sighed heavily, knowing Kakashi wasn't going to do anything without a little initiative. Sakura nudged Kakashi in the side and he looked down. "What?"

"Say goodbye!" hissed Sakura, gesturing her head towards the bear sized man.

Kakashi rolled his dark eye, sighing. He lazily swung his head around and looked at Hitoshi just as he would everybody else. Except this time, Kakashi held out his gloved hand. "It was good meeting you Hitoshi."

Hitoshi grinned and completely engulfed Kakashi's hand with his. He shook his arm hard making Kakashi's limb wiggle like a wet noodle. "Likewise my friend! You must come back someday so we can catch up." he pulled away allowing Kakashi to silently nurse his shoulder socket. "Make sure to bring your sister!"

"Oh, I don't know," Kakashi swung an arm around Sakura's shoulders making her tense up from the contact, "I don't know if she'll want to come back."

"What do you know?" she spat, knocking his arm away. "I'll come back if I want to!"

Kakashi shrugged away. He raised his eyebrow and looked to Hitoshi. "Well, I guess I will bring her with me."

Hitoshi laughed and Sakura grumbled, already walking towards the bridge. Remembering her manners, she turned around and bowed to Hitoshi. "Thank you for all you have done." she said quietly. She straightened. "Especially the room."

"No problem at all. It is you who we should be thanking." He swept his hand back towards the River's Bend. "All those people couldn't have made it without your healing abilities. If anything, it is us who are in your debt."

Kakashi watched Sakura blushed slightly at Hitoshi's comment. She's modest, mused Kakashi, stepping next to her. He nudged her slightly, and indication that they needed to leave. Sakura nodded and waded through the water. The soft ground soon turned hard and she knew she was on the wood of the bridge. Behind her splashed Kakashi.

"Goodbye my friends!" called Hitoshi, waving one last time. Kakashi waved the back of his hand, letting it fall back into the pockets of his pants.

Sakura heard Kakashi move closer behind her. She could feel his body tense back up and his movements become much more precise. She knew that it was all about business once more. She too focused her mind on the horizon, her professional attitude breaking away the carefree feeling she had for the last few weeks.

So softly, like a whisper, did she hear Kakashi say goodbye. It was short and quick, but she knew he would not forget Hitoshi so easily.

* * *

The current of the river was strong and it nearly knocked Sakura over many times within the thirty minutes they had been walking. Each time Kakashi had caught her just before she sunk below the water. She would mumble quick thanks before shaking him off.

It's not fair! she grumbled in her mind, frowning down at her hidden legs. My legs are so short it's hard to keep this up. The water rose well above her waist and was just hitting the bottoms of her breasts. She had taken off her backpack and vest and was carrying them over her head. I'll have to walk like this for another hour or two! The bridge had to stretch across the wide expanse that was the river. It was at least three miles wide, making it look like a giant lake.

Kakashi, on the other hand, was tall enough that the water was only lapping up just above his hip bone. He walked easily as if he had done it all his life. Just to add salt to the wound, he was also reading his erotica book.

"Sometimes I hate you." she grumbled, sticking out her lower lip slightly.

"Oh?" Kakashi looked down over the pages of _Icha Icha. _"Why's that?"

"Because you're Kakashi-sensei, that's why. You make things look so easy, it pisses me off."

"I'm sorry you feel that way." he said in his monotone voice. "But you know, I'm not--"

"'I'm not your sensei.'" she mocked, tilting her head side to side with each word. "Yeah yeah, I know."

"Then why do you call me that?"

Sakura stopped, causing Kakashi to stop as well. Why did she still call him sensei? She was the same rank as him. To top it all off, he hadn't been her sensei in over four years. Tsunade, if anyone, was her sensei and even she didn't study under her anymore.

"I guess…" she said slowly, her feet moving once more, "It's because I still see you as my sensei." Did she? She tested herself. She looked at Kakashi who was either ignoring her or overly immersed inside his book.

When I see Kakashi, I think: pervert, old, insufferable, sarcastic, too quick for his own good, a hard teacher to come by, strong, wise…

Yup. A sensei. But not only a sensei – _Kakashi-_sensei.

"Yeah," she said again, nodding, "when I see you, I see you as I did seven years ago; the same man who helped me become who I am today."

"Nothing else?"

Caught completely off guard, she nearly fell again but Kakashi was there to pick her back up. "What do you mean 'nothing else?'"

"Am I not your friend too?"

Sakura blinked at the softness of his voice. He had lowered his book and was looking to her for an answer. Sakura felt herself being pinned down again. Quickly, she shook herself free and said, "Yes, of course you're my friend. Senseis are supposed to be friends with their students. It makes for a healthy relationship."

"That's not what I mean." said Kakashi sternly. He pocketed _Icha Icha _and turned to Sakura, completely ignorant of the sudden rise of water. Sakura noticed, it was seeping into her bra fast and it made her become self aware of her body.

"Kakashi-sens--"

"No." he said, cutting her off. Sakura could have sworn she heard something crash off in the distance.

"But I--"

"Let me speak." he said, his voice demanding. "I am not your teacher anymore. Forget about me being your sensei." Sakura felt the water tugging on her body. She became worried.

"Am I your friend, Sakura? Am I a friend like Ino or Naruto?" He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Am I more than your teacher?"

There was silence between them, an uncomfortable hush that refused to be broken. Sakura was staring perplexed and wondered at Kakashi while he was beginning to regret his words.

Sakura stared, unable to speak. Was he? Could he be? Surely not…

"Sakura…"

Sakura's eyes rose again to meet his. Her body was shaking under his hands, causing his grip to tighten. She looked so frightened before him, it made his gaze falter. "Am I?" He wanted her to tell him "Yes, you are my friend." He longed for the words so that maybe they could help bring sense to his troubled mind.

Sakura's breath was held, unable to breathe. Perhaps it was the chill of the water or maybe it was the man before him. She didn't know and she couldn't care. All that seemed to exist at that moment was just him.

His question raised so many different things inside of her. Most of which were like a code, something she could not begin to translate yet. But a few things were noticeable, such as the friendship she had wanted to have with him long ago. A friendship that was happy and pure.

But could she rely on Kakashi for such a relationship? Kakashi, a man who had brushed her off so easily long ago? She was afraid of the answer and that was what stilled her heart.

"I…" Her eyes darted between them, getting lost in his dark orbs. They were drawing her in again and she could break free. How do you do this to me? How can you leave me so vulnerable?

She wished that he didn't have such a big part of her life. She wished that he couldn't control her as easily as he did. She wished so many things, each thought and yearning making her words fall together into an unreadable mess.

"You are…"

Kakashi's grip tightened, his breath hitched in his throat. He waited for an answer, just wanting to hear her words…

Suddenly, there was a rumbling sound. The bend in the river that guided the water towards them turned into a wave of white power. Sakura turned and screamed. Kakashi's eye widened.

"Sakura!"

The wave crashed down on them, swallowing them whole. Kakashi felt himself spinning like a top underneath the murky water. He was drug backwards by the force of the sudden wave. He slammed into something hard, his back aching with the contact. He grasped at whatever it was and pulled up, fighting for air.

He broke the surface, his hand clinging onto the rail of the bridge. Off to the side a few dozen yards away from him, was Sakura. Her eyes were wide with fear as she clung to the wooden rail of the bridge.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

"Sakura!" He grunted and pulled himself towards her, his arms straining. His legs were pinned painfully against the side of the railing, the current picking up pace. He pulled at his leg but it was sucked back to the wood, causing him to fly forward, the rail digging painfully against his stomach.

"Hold on Sakura!" he yelled again, trying again to pull himself towards her. Quickly he ran through the possible ways they could get out of the dilemma. He moved to pull his hands up in a sign that would slow the water, but he began to falter again and slip through the support beams. He quickly grabbed hold onto the railing again, his eye narrowed in frustration. "Dammit…"

Sakura, unlike him, had somehow ended up on the other side of the bridge and was being pulled on by the current like a kite in the wind. Her arms were wrapped around the railing, her legs trailing behind her. She struggled to bring them forward and wrap around one of the supports on the bridge, but the current was too strong. She focused all of her energy on keeping hold on the wood.

There was another distant roar and Kakashi knew another wave of water was on its way. "Shi--! Sakura, hang on! Another one is coming!"

A particularly large branch connected with his head. He shook himself of the humming pain, gnashing his teeth. "Where the hell is this coming from?!" He pulled himself inch by inch towards Sakura at an agonizing pace. He reached out his hand but he was still too far away to reach her.

There was a crashing sound and a ripping roar. Kakashi tuned his head slowly to see a great wave of dark water and debris come booming around the bend like a monstrous demon intent on destroying them both.

Kakashi doubled his efforts to reach Sakura who had tucked her head close to her arms. The water ran over her head like a liquid veil only it signified the rapid rise in water. He reached out again but he was still too far away.

Another wave of water crashed over him, making him slam painfully into the railing. He heard the cut off cry of Sakura who had taken the hit head on.

Kakashi was up to his neck in water and Sakura's mouth was just barely taking in air. Kakashi's hitai-ate was askew, covering his ear. He closed his sharingan eye so not to waste any chakra. Damn good it'll do here! he cursed.

The river's current let up if only for a moment and Kakashi used the break to his full advantage. He slid along the side of the railing while Sakura used it to pull her legs up and around a support beam. She rose slightly out of the water, allowing her to take fresh breaths of air.

There was a snapping sound and a loud splash. The river's current rose again, but this time, it was almost too much to bear. The breath was squeezed out of Kakashi as he was literally being suffocated to death by the speed of the river.

"Kakashi-sensei!" cried Sakura, her eyes wide. "Help me! I…" a wave of water came at her face, causing her to sputter. "I'm still too weak!" She felt so helpless! Her strength and chakra were drained considerably and it made her overall, what she used to be; the weak link in the group. I'm so helpless! she screamed to herself, clinging onto the wood tighter. "I can't do anything! I…" she shook her head violently. "I need your help Kakashi-sensei!"

"I'm trying!" grunted Kakashi, fighting for breath. "But I can't!" The water was too strong. He couldn't make any hand signs and his physical strength was running lower by the second. What was worse he knew that Sakura was extremely tired if he was.

He turned his head after hearing another crunching sound. His eyes widened in horror.

A large oak tree had been ripped out of the ground by the roots and was barreling towards Sakura at an unimaginable pace. There was nothing he could do.

Kakashi turned his head and stared at Sakura, his eyes wide. She stared back at him too. He didn't know if it was the river or the spray of the vivacious river, but water streamed down the corners of her eyes.

"Kakashi-sensei…"

The tree came closer, its green leaves being gradually torn away by the water.

"Sakura!!"

Things slowed down. Everything was like a buzzing whisper. Sakura's hair floated behind her in an ethereal fashion. Her eyes were as green as they ever were.

Kakashi could hear his breath in his ears. It came in and out with heat heartbeat. His heartbeat? Or hers? Either way it thundered in his head like a holy metronome, never missing a single beat.

The water lapped against his and Sakura's body like a lazy river.

…_like a lazy river_

_It is nice_

Her eyes

_Hold me_

_I'm here_

Her smile

_I see you as I did seven years ago_

_Am I not your friend too?_

Her being…

_Am I more than your teacher?_

Please…

His breath and her heartbeat. The only things in the world that mattered.

"_No_…"

The tree's trunk slammed into Sakura, ripping her off the railing with a sickening crack. She was like a rag doll, drug mercilessly away. The last thing Kakashi saw was her small hand slipping behind the wet bark before completely disappearing.

Her heartbeat was gone. Nothing mattered.

"_SAKURA!!!!_"

--

Oo… Have I done the unspeakable? Surely not…

Thank you for the reviews. They make me want to write even more! I hope to update soon just for you guys!


	6. Beginning of Something Bad

A/N: Because of all the reviews I got in the short time I posted the last chapter, I have decided to be kind and post the next chapter. Yes yes, I'm too good. XD

_--_

"Kakashi-sensei…"

* * *

Where am I? 

_Sakura's eyes fluttered open, revealing a plain of nothingness. It was dark and light, cold and warm, all and nothing. It was too much for a simple human such as herself. But then again, she felt like she was a part of this empty nothingness, as if she was finally back where she belonged._

_Images and memories flashed through her mind. The black of the space shimmered and her thoughts were projected everywhere around her. So many memories, some of which were so horrible, Sakura had to turn away. But then, there were the good ones, ones that had the images of three special men in her life._

_Changes and shapes. Colors and sounds. Nothing mattered here; only acceptance._

_Sakura walked down the dark path of Finality. There, at the end, she saw an image of water. Lots and lots of water. It filled the square scene and made Sakura aware of her inability to breath. Then, a tree. A large tree, one that looked healthy and alive. The bark grew closer, darker. She could smell the wood, the fresh dirt and life that radiated from it._

_The image shattered, the small specks of light floating around her. She sighed in amazement as they drifted around her, wrapping her in a cocoon of light. It was warm and beautiful, but at the same time, she knew it was something dark and cold. She could see the reaper behind the light and she _knew.

_Things shifted and she was now standing in the small clearing where Team Seven used to train. Hair blew across her face, so she went to swat it away. To her surprise, her locks were long and soft, just like they were when she was twelve._

_Wait, he was supposed to meet me here. I wasn't supposed to go, he was! Well, he was always late…Sakura smiled to herself, looking up and up beyond what was All and what Was. _

This place, this unnatural way of existing… What is it?

_I always told him that he was lazy. I suppose I shouldn't have expected more from him. Hah, things always turned out like this. He always comes for me in the end._

_Alone she stood until a figure began to walk up from the horizon. Dark hair and even darker eyes left her confused. He wasn't supposed to be there. He was supposed to be…_

The river, the tree, the pain… The cry of my name… Oh god, I'm dead!

_I know he's probably off doing something perverted, like reading his _Icha Icha. _I guess I'll have to wait for him. I do it all the time anyway. Once more couldn't hurt._

Wait…! No!

"_Yes," said the young man, stopping before her, "you are dead."_

_Words and thoughts melded. Reality and what was Life began to fade together, creating a movement and action that could only exist on the plain of Death. Past and future left her completely, giving her time to think of the present._

_Sakura suddenly felt very cold. She sank to the ground and held herself, her shaking body and darting eyes showing how scared she was. The young man sat down next to her and watched her in her throws of anguish. Sakura noticed this and turned an angry eye to him._

"_Are you just going to sit there and watch? Go away!" Sakura turned around and tucked her head into her knees. "Just leave me alone…"_

_The young man still continued to watch her, his blank stare flickering slightly as Sakura tucked herself tighter into a ball. "You know," he said, looking up to the almost impossibly blue sky, "things aren't always what they seem."_

_Sakura, not in the mood for cryptic words, stood up and walked towards the other side of the clearing. She would leave the man behind as she passed through the trees. She would finally have her peace to try to overcome her chaos._

"_Do you really want to leave so soon?"_

_Sakura stopped and turned around. "Yes, to get away from you."_

"_But what about him?"_

"_He's none of your concern." Wait, who am I talking about?_

"_He'll miss you."_

"_And I him."_

"_You know he--"_

"_And I as well."_

"_He always told us to never give in." The young man stood up and turned around. His back was the only thing visible to her as he began to walk towards the forest. "I would think you would follow his advice."_

"_Hah, I don't need to listen to him."_

"_You should."_

"_Why?" The world around her was so amazing and deep. Death wasn't really that bad if it was as beautiful as this._

"_Because if you don't listen," he said, turning one last time to face Sakura. "he'll be angry with you."_

"_I know."_

"_So you'll go?"_

_A pause. He really didn't deserve it, but he was…_

_Sakura shrugged. "I suppose."_

"_Then I'll see you later."_

"_Of course."_

_He nodded and disappeared beyond the deep forest. For a split second, Sakura knew _exactly _who that young boy was. But she had more important matters to attend to._

_Sitting down, she looked to the sky and waited patiently. She would not leave so soon. She'd wait a few minutes and if he didn't show up, she'd start off without him._

_**

* * *

**_

"_SAKURA!!"_

Kakashi, without thought of his own safety, let go of the railing and allowed himself to be sucked through the small beams that made up the side of the bridge. His world was, for a moment, made entirely of water. He beat his hands forward and broke the surface, gasping for air.

"Sakura!" he looked around him as he was carried along by the current. "Sakura!"

A flash of pink and Kakashi dove, kicking his feet as hard as he could. His fingers brushed fabric and he grabbed, pulling with all he had.

Sakura's unconscious form hit the surface. There was a deep gash in the metal of her hitai-ate. The cut continued on down the beginning of the bridge of her nose and off to the side.

"Thing actually saved your life." He grunted and tucked her body closer to his. He wrapped his arm around her middle, grasping her tight. "Now, to get out of this predicament."

Ahead of him was the large oak tree that had practically made Kakashi have a heart attack. He swam hard and fast, catching up to the tree as quickly as he could. It was much easier than it seemed seeing that his body was much smaller than the tree.

He slammed his hand onto the large trunk of the tree and pulled, groaning. He managed to sit himself allowing him to pull Sakura up with him. He slid backwards into the roots of the tree. They held him in tight like a safety belt of sorts, making the ride much easier. He tucked her in between his legs and wrapped a protective arm around her middle.

Then, he prayed that Sakura survived.

Not a minute later, the tree collided into a bend in the river, causing Kakashi and Sakura to go flying into the dirt. The tree groaned and creaked as it rolled until it was stopped by a large boulder resting on the land.

Kakashi was immediately on his feet, rushing to Sakura who was lying on her back a few feet away. He bent down to her and put his ear to her chest. His blood ran cold and he hovered his hand over her mouth.

"Dammit!" Quickly, he pulled down his mask and put his mouth to hers, giving off a few quick breaths. He fisted his hands and pushed them into her chest repeatedly. He put his ear to her heart again. "Come on Sakura, breathe!" Again he put his mouth to hers and pushed down on her chest. "Breathe Sakura!"

Morning rain began to fall from the sky. It was cold and painful, mirroring Kakashi's feelings. His skin was numb and Sakura's skin was blue. Everything was slowly beginning to fall apart.

What would he do if she died? How would he be able to forgive himself? He wouldn't. He would go through life, hating every breath he took.

"Please Sakura…" he whispered, "breathe…"

The rain fell harder on the two. Over and over Kakashi preformed CPR, but all he was getting from her was silence. It was getting harder and harder for him to breathe for his heart was racing at an unimaginable pace as it broke.

"Breathe," he pleaded, his head hanging low as he pushed against Sakura's chest. There was the rumble of thunder somewhere off in the distance, but Kakashi didn't hear. All of his time and energy was focused on the woman beneath him. Her body jerked slightly at each press of Kakashi's hands against her chest. The movement of resuscitation an unbreakable rhythm, never ceasing in it's movements.

The rain grew harder as the time passed and something dark began to claw at Kakashi as Sakura grew more and more pale. He breathed and pushed against her, his teeth clenched. "Come on."

Time was growing short. If he could not bring her back to life soon, she would be lost forever. But no matter how hard he tried, nothing seemed to work. She continued to lay there as if she was sleeping like any other night. It mocked Kakashi, taunting him.

She was not coming to. The logical part of Kakashi knew she was dead. The other part of him, the part that longed for the friendship between them ceased to stop. He breathed into her one last time and pushed against her chest, his movements slow and hopeless. "Live, Sakura."

No response came from her cold lips. She was as lifeless as she was when the oak had ripped her from existence. She was gone from the world and Kakashi could do nothing about it.

His movements stopped, his body and mind close to the point of breaking. Everything began to crumble, tempting Kakashi to jump into the dark void it left.

The rain was cold as he pushed pathetically against her chest. There was another crashing sound as another tree ground itself along the bank. Everything was a chill, his fingers unfeeling. Death was in the air and it made everything dark and unforgiving.

Everything had fallen apart in one moment. Kakashi hung his head over Sakura, his hands still splayed across her front. Water dripped down from his long hair and ran down the bridge of his nose. His hands slowly gripped the front of Sakura's shirt, his muscles tense with sorrow.

So many things left undone between them. Now he would never get the chance to make things right. He would never be able to enjoy the times and joys of friendship with her. He would never be able to laugh with her again. He would never be able to quell the thought of her inside of him. She was gone and he could do nothing.

"Sakura…" he whispered, his eye closing. "I'm so sorry…"

One last push, then a miracle.

Sakura's eyes widened and she coughed up water violently. Kakashi, already quickly being brought out of his almost endless despair, was already sitting her up as she struggled for breath. Her body shook with tremors as she leaned against him.

"Kakashi-sensei…" she mumbled, her eyes closed. "what happened?"

Kakashi never knew how sweet the breath of relief really was. If he could, he would want to experience it over and over.

He wrapped his arms around her coughing form and rested his head on top of hers. You died Sakura. You died and I thought I had lost you. But you're alive even though you were crushed by a tree. That's what happened, but of course you wouldn't know…

Kakashi realized he was internally rambling like an idiot. Forcing himself to calm down, he decided that feeling Sakura's heart beat against his chest was all he needed. Slowly, he found himself beginning to relax.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"I'm not…" He stopped. Kakashi didn't have the energy to correct Sakura. Instead he wrapped a hand around her and held her close. His breath came out heavy. "More that should have."

* * *

Kakashi tied off the end to the makeshift splint that was around Sakura's arm. A small fire burned nearby, the small twigs and sticks fueling the flame. 

Sakura's eyes were closed, her head hurting too much to do anything else. She winced slightly when Kakashi pulled a little too tight. "Be careful." she hissed, her eyes scrunched tightly with pain. "It's a painful break."

"Sorry." he murmured, pulling his hands back. "I'm not a medic nin like you so I'm not as good with things like this." He looked down at his clumsily made splint and silently cursed at himself. Need to work on that…

"It's better than nothing." mumbled Sakura, her head pounding. "So really, it's fine." Her hand drifted up and rested on her hitai-ate. Her finger ran down the long slash that went across the entire face of metal. Her finger ended on her small cut at the bridge of her nose. "To believe that this could have been my head…"

"You were definitely lucky." said Kakashi. "Luckier than I would have been."

Sakura thought for a moment and deemed that his words had no hidden meaning behind them. "…Perhaps…" she shifted her head on Kakashi's rolled up vest and closed her eyes. "Yes, maybe…"

If only you knew what I experienced…

After resuscitating Sakura, he had picked her up and brought her into the forest. He had gone about to making a fire under the shelter of the trees when he had noticed how her arm was bent at an awkward angle. Quickly he set about to making a splint, giving Sakura his vest to relax on.

Kakashi picked up the scroll that was sitting beside him and opened it. He was not surprised when he saw the ink on the paper had run together in an unreadable mess. He sighed and rolled the scroll back up. I'll have to guess were Unon is now, he thought with a groan.

Sakura was unnaturally quiet. His eye softened in worry. "Are you feeling okay?"

Sakura jumped slightly and turned her face. Even though it was dark and gray from the rain, he could still see the pink blush on her features. He wondered what had made her so flustered.

It came to him one fell swoop. He coughed softly and turned around to look at the fire. "I'm sorry I had to use mouth to mouth resuscitation." he murmured.

Sakura blushed an even deeper red and waved her hand. "No. It's fine. I mean, if you didn't, I would have died."

Sakura, you did die, she scolded to herself. Sakura tried to remember what had happened, but everything was so blurred and unfocused, she couldn't really describe it. All she knew was that for a moment, she could feel total abandon of her self image and could only experience what was to be.

But the thought of his mouth on hers (even though she wasn't even conscious) seemed to be _far _more important than any near death experienced. Just imagining him made her stomach churn.

"Really." she said again, sitting up. "It's okay." Sakura couldn't see his face because his hitai-ate was in the way, but she knew he was listening.

"… Good." Kakashi felt awkward, talking about a subject such as 'mouth to mouth' especially with Sakura. It made him even more unnerved with the odd things he had been struggling with.

To take his mind off of such matters he reached for his vest and searched through his pockets.

"What are you…?"

"No." Kakashi's voice was like a broken sob. Sakura raised an eyebrow and moved over a little to get a better look at him

"What's the matter with you?"

Kakashi's shoulders shook as he held up an orange and gray blob. "_Icha Icha Violence…_" His fingers curled around the soak paper. Sakura stared at him with a bewildered gaze, her mouth agape. "It was a brand new issue…"

Sakura growled and hit him on the head with her good hand. "You idiot! For a second, I actually thought something was wrong."

"But this is wrong!" Kakashi looked down, defeated, at the once wonderful erotica book. "Now what am I going to do?"

Sakura felt like ripping what was left of his stupid book out of his hands. He's treating that book with more sorrow than he would ever for me! Was she always going to be second to porn?

Gee, how nice.

"Find Unon, that's what you're going to do." snorted Sakura, standing up. Kakashi-sensei can pine over his erotica for as long as he wants. I don't want anything to do with it.

It was her first jonin mission all over again. He had put his stupid book before her. Now he was _caring _about a blob of liquid porn more than he would ever show her.

The thought, as it begun to form, hurt Sakura more than she had expected. She bit her lip to stop it from trembling. "Let's go."

Kakashi immediately dropped _Icha Icha _and stood up beside her, his eye narrowed slightly in worry.

"Don't get up too soon."

"My arm is broken, not my legs." she grumbled. Was that worry I just saw? Quickly she denied it. Her head felt like it was splitting apart and rational thought couldn't be processed. "Besides," she rubbed at her eyes to try and get rid of the pain that was forming behind them, "we need to get going. We have to reach Unon as quickly as possible."

Kakashi frowned. He knew Sakura was too weak to walk, let alone travel to Unon. Her skin was pale, hear eyes were dimmed and her hair lost its luster. There was no way he was going to let her travel.

"No Sakura. You need to rest." Kakashi pushed her back down on the ground, forcing her to lie on her back. "You nearly drowned and you were crushed by a tree. You're staying."

Sakura scowled, knowing she had been defeated. She couldn't argue with him, he did have a point. She still grumbled angrily to herself and turned onto her side, away from him. "We'll stay. But we leave as soon as I wake up."

Kakashi sighed and shook his head. "We'll leave when you're strong enough."

Sakura didn't answer so he knew she was ignoring him. He sighed again and stared at the fire, warming his hands up with the flame.

They had lost all of their belongings. His backpack along with Sakura's had been swept away. He guessed they were probably miles away by then. Luckily he had his vest and all of his ninja gear so he wasn't too worried about protection. He was worried however about the damp of their clothes.

"We'll have to buy new ones once we get to Unon." he murmured, resting his hand against his chin. "Good thing we have money."

A cold wind blew into the clearing, making him and his female companion shiver. "We're going to get hypothermia." He tugged off his wet shirt and rung it out. It was better to have no shirt than a wet shirt. He set it on the ground close to the fire, hoping it would dry soon.

Kakashi heard Sakura move beside him. He kept his face towards the fire, but his eye slowly sneaked a glance at his female companion.

Sakura had taken off her shirt and thrown it next to his. His eyes were wide and staring unabashedly as she scooted closer to the fire to dry her skin.

Her skin was pale and looked soft to the touch. The orange and yellow light of their fire flickered across her body, turning her skin a more healthy shade. The morning had stayed a dark gray, the rain in the skies a distinct contrast to their small flame. Still, the gloom of the day could not cease to diminish the appearance of Sakura. Her muscles rippled as she clenched herself closer.

Kakashi's hand twitched. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure I don't freeze to death." said Sakura with a 'what do you think' tone of voice.

Kakashi felt his eyes drawn to the strap of her bra. While one half of him was glad that her back was only visible to him, the other half was not so happy. He mentally punched himself and forced all thoughts of the physical type out of the proverbial window.

"Hn."

The fire cracked again and Kakashi was reminded that it needed more wood. He gratefully took the chance to leave Sakura to go look in the woods for more dry wood. "I'll be back in a little while." he said, not looking down at her. Sakura nodded and huddled closer to the slowly dying fire.

As Kakashi's footsteps faded, Sakura allowed herself to experience the pain she had felt earlier.

Dammit! Why does it hurt so much? Did she truly care _that _much about what Kakashi did or didn't do? She must have because the more she thought about it, the sadder she became.

He had been a major part of her life. He had taught her the tactics that she was founded on seven years later. They had gone through so much together, good and bad.

Of course she cared about what he thought. If her teacher didn't care for her, she would be immensely hurt. And she was. She hated not being able to get close to him. She _wanted _too, but the radical part of her mind knew that he would never show such friendly affection. It was too much to ask for, so Sakura outright refused it.

When he had apologized to her, she had thought back to her previous longing for his liking and had thought it was a step in the right direction. That was why she was so willingly to forgive him.

But as time rolled on, she knew he was the same exact man. He hadn't changed. He was just as irritatingly aloof and seemingly uncaring as he used to be. Of course he had his moments, as do all humans, but even during those; he always seemed to brush them off as nothing.

It's not fair. Sakura stared at the fire, the flames warming her frozen skin. I try so hard and still I am nothing compared to… to smut!

Thoughts of him pining over his _Icha Icha _turned her sadness into anger. "I can't believe him!" she yelled, slamming her fist into the dirt. "He is nothing but a pervert whose priority is to get off on some erotica!"

Anger seeped into her heart, promptly crushing the want to get closer to the man. The thought of them having a comfortable relationship was far beyond reach now.

"I can't believe I had given in so easily…" she murmured to herself, staring into the fire. "What was I thinking?"

While she began to set herself in that frame of mind, a small part of her didn't want to brush him off so easily. It hurt. It hurt very, very much.

Sakura's teeth began to chatter. She sat up and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to get her circulation going. She looked down by the fire and saw Kakashi's shirt lying out on the ground, dry and warm.

Sakura, not caring if it was Kakashi's shirt or a hefty older man's shirt, picked it up off the ground and pushed it over her head. Immediately warmth spread through her body, warming her skin. Sakura slowly lay back onto the ground, closing her eyes. "At least Kakashi-sensei is good for warmth. Still," Sakura sighed, staring back into the fire. "It will never be the same."

* * *

As Kakashi walked through the woods, his mind began to wander. He realized, as he picked up a rather large branch and snapping it, he almost lost Sakura. Again. Once more, he had almost lost his own life! Of course he had stared death in the face countless times but this time was different. It was as if looking at Sakura made him… made him… 

The branch snapped ferociously and his hands stung with the vibrations. He tucked the wood underneath his arm and continued looking for more.

Things were increasingly growing out of hand. What was once an innocent longing for Sakura's friendship was turning into something that was far from alright. He felt foolish for letting his thoughts twist and turn into what made him so unnerved.

Just before being swallowed by the river, he had asked her if he was her friend. He remembered how much he had longed for an answer, how he had waited with bated breath. This only proved how much he had affected her.

When it all came down to it, the river had added more complications to his already jumbled mind. He didn't need any more weight on his shoulders but apparently Mother Nature couldn't give a rat's ass when it came to _his _well being.

Damn flash flood, he thought darkly. Where did all that water come from anyway?

He remembered watching the wave come at him and Sakura. It looked different and familiar, like a forgotten memory. The way the water was shaped, the way it came towards them. It was all too familiar…

"The Water Vortex Jutsu." he growled, slamming his fist into his hand. "The spiraling is proof enough. Damn, someone is after us. But who?"

Kakashi dropped the firewood and rushed back to the campsite. Where they were then was not a safe place. They needed to leave and fast.

Kakashi entered the clearing and looked down at Sakura. For a moment he forgot about their dangerous situation because he was confused.

"Why are you wearing my shirt?"

Sakura looked over her shoulder, his blue shirt hanging loosely around her slender frame. "It was dry and I was cold. I put it on." she sat up slowly. "Do you want me to take it off?" she slowly began to pull up on the hem of the shirt.

"No, just wait." Kakashi turned his gaze and looked over at his vest. Inside one of those pockets was the ring he had taken off the ninja. The people who attacked us; it's probably whoever that man worked for, he thought with disdain. Somehow they found out it was us who had killed him. But still, I don't see why they would use such a high level jutsu to avenge the death of a chunnin. It doesn't make sense!

He needed to get to Unon fast. They were in serious danger. If there were ninja who would go out of their way to perform a jutsu that high of a caliber, they needed to get out.

We're not fit to fight. He looked over at Sakura who was nursing her arm with a soothing hand. We won't be able to defend ourselves. Sakura was right; it's time we get moving.

"Change of plans." said Kakashi, standing up and picking up his vest up off the ground. "We're leaving. Now."

Sakura turned around and stared up at him with shock. "What made you change your mind?"

"The river incident, that's what." Kakashi gestured for her to give him his shirt which she did quickly. Kakashi turned his gaze to the ground so Sakura could keep her modesty. Quickly he threw on his shirt. He noticed that her distinctive smell had made its way into the fabric. "The water was not naturally sent," he said as she slipped on her own shirt over her head. "It was the Water Vortex Jutsu."

Sakura's eyes widened. It had been seven years since she had last seen that attack. If her memory served her correctly, Kakashi had copied it exactly from Zabuza and used it against him.

"That's right…" she breathed in, comprehending. "The way the water moved… It was the Water Vortex Jutsu! Then that means--"

"Someone is after us." Kakashi slung his vest over his shoulders and picked up the ruined scroll on the ground. He put the fire out with a quick jutsu and kicked the twigs away, leaving no trace they had been there. "We need to get to Unon as fast as we can. We are in serious danger until we can find a place to rest and plan our next course of action."

Sakura slid her slightly damp shirt on and stood up, her adrenaline pumping. "Right." Maybe if she kept moving, she could keep her mind off of things, off of a certain man…

Her vision blurred and she fell back down onto the ground, groaning. She held onto her head, suddenly feeling very queasy.

"Ka…Kakashi-sensei…" she grunted, swallowing. Damn. I should have checked my injuries better. _Augh! I blame the fucking tree! I'm gonna knock them all down! _"I… I think something's wrong with my..." She held onto her throbbing skull, not wanting to speak anymore.

Kakashi kneeled down next to her and held a hand to her neck. Her pulse was slow and abnormal. "Do you feel dizzy or nauseous?" He was going to ask if she felt restless or irritable, but that was answer enough.

Sakura nodded and gulped. "I don't think I can do this…" her vision blurred again and she collapsed into Kakashi's chest. Her breathing was heavy slow, her eyes darting across the fabric of his vest.

Kakashi felt the weight of her body against his and he felt something stir within him. He pushed it away irritably and reached his arms around her. "I'll carry you then." he whispered into her ear before slowly raising her up off the ground. Sakura wrapped her good arm around his middle and let her broken one rest against her stomach.

"I'm sorry…" she mumbled, nudging the fabric of his vest with her forehead. "I'm so sorry…"

"It isn't your fault." he said quickly. "Just focus on resting. I'll get us to Unon."

Sakura nodded softly and buried her face deeper into his clothes. His shirt was warm with the fire and her body. It made the feeling in her cheeks come back. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." he murmured before leaping up into a tree. He scanned the area around them from on top of the branch. Far off in the distance he could see where the bridge was. To the left of it was the long stretch of road. Unon was at least another two day's trip away.

Growling, he looked down at the woman in his arms. She was huddled close, trying to get as much warmth off of him as she possibly could. It was a surprise at how well she was holding up, considering what she had gone through.

It's going to be a rough travel, his thoughts foreboding. I'm not sure if we can make it. We'll probably freeze to death before we even reach the town half way.

Sakura shifting in his arms made him push away such dark thoughts angrily. Sakura was counting on him and he couldn't let her down. Even though his logic was almost overpowering, his will kept him tied down to sanity and hope.

He shifted on his feet and jumped to another branch. His eyes scanned the area around them as he moved, looking for any enemies. He was not going to be made a fool again, not when Sakura had paid the price.

His eye narrowed and his teeth gnashed together. Damn you, he cursed silently as he jumped to another tree. If I ever find out who you are, I'll make you pay. He jumped again and again until he was sailing through the trees. If a normal person had been watching them, he and Sakura would look like a dark smudge with the occasional pink streak.

Kakashi landed on another tree, his feet digging into the wood as he came to a stop. His eyes scanned the forest around him and his ears listened for any intruders.

There wasn't any sound except for the rushing whisper of the river. The trees rustled quietly and there was the creak of bark.

Then, there in the far corner, was a figure. Another one appeared, behind this time. Then, another on his side. Kakashi's eyes narrowed. Slowly, one of his hands went to rest on his hitai-ate. Not yet, he whispered silently. Only reveal it when you have to.

Sakura's body had tensed up in his arms and he responded by tightening his grip around her. "I sense them." she whispered, her fingers digging into his vest.

"As do I."

Kakashi didn't dare move. Once he did, everything would be thrown into action. Instead, he took a few shallow breaths, making sure he didn't seem to appear too nervous.

Whether it was her rational thoughts, or the jello consistency of her brain, she briefly remembered that Kakashi had saved her life more than once. And he was about to do so again.

Sakura could not have it. She would not be put under so much debt she would have to end up saving an entire village before paying off anything she owed to him.

Briefly she was reminded of years past. She remembered a small team of three and their sensei. They were Team Seven, the lucky group. There was the serious one, the goofy one, and the smart one. And of course, there was their wise teacher.

Everyone had their strengths, including the girl in the group. But as time went by, her fellow teammates had surpassed her in everything. Soon, after time, the girl had become a weak link. She had become the vulnerable spot in the force of Team Seven.

Her head was throbbing, her arm was aching, and she believed that her cluttered thoughts would leave her in an eternal state of uncertainty. But she needed to get rid of the debt that was hanging over her head, even though she had to help the man she had ultimately decided she could never truly begin to understand and know.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Hm."

"When they come… just run. Run as fast as you can."

Kakashi looked down, confused. "What?"

Sakura's face moved up slightly. He could see the green rims of her irises. "I will not be…" she whispered, gripping to his shirt tightly, "…what I used to be…"

"Sakura?"

"I refuse to be the weak girl in the background…" her voice was set and firm. Never again… Will I be… The weak link. Never again.

Kakashi felt uneasy. He knew what Sakura was saying was the cause of it all. "But you--"

"I repay my first debt." A hand snuck around his waist and she was gone in a flash. The men surrounding them disappeared too, chasing after Sakura. Kakashi cursed and reached for his ninja gear.

It was gone.

"Dammit Sakura!" he cursed before jumping to the next branch, stretching his senses, searching for the pink haired kunoichi.

He heard a distant gurgle and he knew Sakura had found her mark. As the leaved whistled by his face, he could see Sakura below him, jumping from branch to branch so quickly, even he had a hard time keeping up.

A hard body slammed into his, sending him crashing into the ground. Dust scattered and flew above him. He retaliated quickly and jumped up. "Replacement Jutsu!" he murmured, switching his body with a nearby log. As he hid in the safety of the branches, he sent his decoy off to meet the ninja who had snuck up on him.

'Kakashi' stared at the masked man with distaste. "Who do you work for?" he made the clone say, his voice dark and demanding. "Why did you try and kill us?"

"We have our reasons." hissed the masked nin. "You need not know them."

'Kakashi' growled and crouched, tensing up for a battle. The other nin did the same thing, his fists curling. "I'll make you pay…" he growled. "What you did… is unforgivable."

The enemy nin, for a second, felt the cold hand of fear grip his heart. The nin before him was angry. And not just any nin; The Copy Nin. His boss had warned him about the silver haired jonin and was told not to take him lightly. Now he got to fight him when he was angry. And by the look on his face he was border lining pissed.

The nin's muscles tensed and a beat of sweat trickled down the side of his face. Must act fast, he told himself. Must not let him counter attack…

Three kunai sailed towards his head. Easily he jumped out of the way, scoffing. "Is that the best you've got?" Kakashi landed and crossed his arms. "Because if it is, you're in deep shit."

The other man growled and rushed towards him, his hands flashing between signs. "Earth Style: Rockslide Jutsu!" A wave of rocks came up from the ground, groaning and gnashing as it moved. The nin smirked as his fail safe move rushed towards the silver haired shinobi and came down on his head.

To his dismay, he did not hear screams of pain but the poof of smoke as Kakashi's Replacement Jutsu turned back into a log. The rock came back down onto the ground without killing or even injuring a single person.

The man growled. "Dammit!" he looked around the clearing, up in the trees and around shrubs. His heart was racing and his eyes were darting in fear. "Where are you bastard?!" his voice was urgent. He needed to know where the man from the Bingo Book was. He had to know!

"Show yourself you coward!" he spun around, the trees seemingly coming closer and suffocating him. "Show yourself!!"

"Alright then. Inner Decapitation Jutsu!"

The man cried out as he sunk beneath the ground where his rockslide had ended. He was encased in the ground up to the torso. He looked up at the silver haired nin with fear.

"Goodnight."

The last thing the man saw was the heel of Kakashi's foot before being knocked unconscious.

Kakashi looked down at the man who was comatose. If Sakura hadn't been in danger, he would have pulled out the man and searched him of any or all identification. But Sakura was in danger and he needed to find her before she collapsed under the strain of her own body. "Damn Sakura, you can be so foolish sometimes!"

* * *

Sakura was clashing with the other ninja, her kunai sparking against his with each contact. 

"Who do you work for?" she demanded, kicking out her leg. The man caught her foot and twisted her, causing her to spin into a tree trunk.

"Wouldn't you want to know." he hissed. His kunai flashed and turned into dozens of knives. "Unlimited Knife Jutsu!" he spun around and sent the metal blades of death sailing towards Sakura. Quickly, she jumped out of the way and into the air. She stuck her kunai back into the pack she had stolen from Kakashi and focused a small amount of chakra into her fist.

"Take this!" she roared as she fell from the sky, her fist lit up with chakra. Her small fist connected with his shoulder and the man screamed in agony as the intensified punch smashed him into the ground. Sakura already felt dizzy from using her chakra. She could not do so again. She raised another fist and sent it down towards the man, but he rolled out of the way. Her hand connected with rock, but she was too pumped up to notice the blood dribbling down from her knuckles.

The man slashed out with his knives again. She dropped down into the crater she had created, the knives sailing above her safely. Her fingers danced over her pack and another kunai knife was out. She jumped forward and swung out low. It caught the man in his stomach, his clothes torn to shreds as the tip of the blade sliced through. To her dismay, the body disappeared in a puff of smoke, only to be replaced by a log.

The real ninja jumped down from the trees and came behind her, his knife flashing dangerously. Sakura had just enough time to comprehend that he had appeared behind her before swerving out of the way. She spun around on her heel and dug her kunai into his back as he passed by her. Blood gurgled in his mouth and he fell to the ground, dead.

Sakura breathed heavily, her vision blurring. Her head felt light, but at the same time, felt like it was filled with lead. And her arms, they were becoming heavy too.

At least, she thought lightly as everything went from color to black and white and back again, my arm doesn't hurt anymore. She looked down at the break. Funny how that turned out.

At least she had repaid her debts. Well, she still had one to pay, but it was better than three. And, she added, I've proved I'm not just some pretty face.

Sakura rolled her eyes, trying to clear her vision, but it just made things even worse. "Augh…" Sakura breathed deeper, "Maybe I shouldn't have repaid my debts so soon."

A sound, and she turned her head.

* * *

Kakashi had just landed when he saw the last ninja fall to the ground, dead. Sakura was breathing heavily, the blood on her good hand dribbling down the steel of her knife. She looked up slowly, her mouth slack. "I... told you to run…" She seemed angry, confused, and utterly pale. 

The image of Kakashi had awoken her previous anger. Even through her blurred haze she could still make out his form. She could still see that hidden face of his, mocking her, _scolding her _for ever thinking they could have had a rich friendship.

Her hand tightened around the kunai knife, her knuckles turning white. Her teeth gnashed together as the anger began to build. Damn you Kakashi-sensei…

Kakashi shook his head. "You can be so foolish sometimes Sakura. I thought I taught you better."

The moment she had left him, he had felt so stupid for letting her get away from him so easily. While he, under normal circumstances, would assess the situation, he barged right in. In result of this, he was caught off guard and pummeled into the ground.

Still, seeing her alive and breathing was enough to forget the small pain in his back. But there was something off about Sakura and it made him uneasy and anxious.

"Why?"

The question put him off guard, startling him out of his thoughts. "Sakura?"

Sakura looked up, tears stinging the corner of her eyes. She slashed the kunai in the air as she spoke her pain. "Why do you refuse to show me compassion? Am I really…" her voice cut off, not able to continue.

Kakashi stared down at her, overcome by memory. Guy had said he had to show compassion if he ever wanted things to go right between them. He did, didn't he?

As he looked back, he realized that he hadn't. He had been as aloof as he always had with her. Well… except that one night. But even then, he didn't do as much as he should have.

Kakashi looked down at Sakura who was struggling with her emotions. I'm hurting her…

"Kakashi-sensei, am I really not that important to you?" Sakura wiped away the tears that were beginning to pool in her eyes. She hated being so susceptible to Kakashi. She hated how easily he could influence her emotions.

"Sakura…" Kakashi felt heavy. He jumped down from the tree branch and landed in front of Sakura who was looking up at him. He cast his eyes to the ground, rubbing the back of his head. "How am I supposed to say this…?"

Sakura felt her heart tear. She turned around, clutching her hands to her chest. "I knew it." she sobbed. She curled her hands together tighter. "I knew I wasn't. I should have known that day three years ago." she looked up towards the canopy of the trees. The morning sun was beginning to break through. Her head was swimming with her head injury. "When you had asked for forgiveness, I had thought that things would get better. But I was wrong…"

Sakura wanted him to be there for her through thick and thin. And he didn't want to. It was a pain that matched the one she felt after Sasuke's death.

…_things aren't always what they seem…_

"Sakura…"

"No." she cut in, shaking her head. "I understand. There's no need to explain."

"That's not what I was going to say."

Sakura's eyes widened slightly. She looked over her shoulder. "What?"

Kakashi began slow, unsure of himself. "I do want to be there for you. I want to be more than your sensei, Sakura. That's why I get upset when you call me Kakashi-sensei; I don't want to be your teacher. I want to be your friend and only your friend."

Sakura had turned fully around by this time and was watching Kakashi speak with wide eyes.

Kakashi felt awkward under Sakura's gaze. He shifted on his feet. "I want to be your friend, Sakura. And no matter what you think, I have been trying." he sighed at all the memories. They had eaten numerous quantities of ramen, experienced an amazing thunderstorm, helped save a run down town, and had bonded in some small way. It was an amazing experience and he never would forget it.

"But the way I show compassion," he started again, "is not like that of most people. I…" he finally met Sakura's gaze. Once he did, he knew that he would never be able to look away. "I don't show my feelings like most people. I like things relaxed and not so emotional. And then there's--"

He stopped short. He had almost told her the problem he had been struggling with. He had almost told her about his physical attraction towards her.

Best not to tred on such ground yet.

"There's other things." he began again, a bit awkward. Sakura noticed this but decided to ignore it. All that mattered was that Kakashi was talking to her, telling her that he did, in fact, care.

"That's why I'm always reading _Icha Icha. _I don't want to focus on the serious or emotionally dramatic situations. They make things… complicated." Kakashi gave a small smile. "I will always be the aloof and goofy teacher you know, but I want to be your aloof and goofy _friend._"

Sakura allowed herself to breathe again, her heart relaxing. Life was beginning to slowly come back to order. All of her doubts were beginning to fade, but they still existed. Still, they were less noticeable and she could go on living without pain.

"While I know and accept you will always be aloof," she started, "I…" she gave him a sad smile. "I don't think I can stop calling you sensei."

Kakashi bit back a frown. "Why?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I already tell you?"

Did she? On the bridge he had asked her. What was it that she said? "I… am still a teacher in your eyes?"

"Yes." she said, nodding. "But you are my teacher," she rest a hand on his arm, smiling. "And my friend. Not just a student teacher relationship, but true friendship."

Kakashi looked down at the hand on his arm. It wasn't… perfect, to say in the least, but it was better than nothing. A small part of his still argued that he was _not _her sensei and that she should not be calling him that. But then, the other part of him told him not to say anything, lest it make things worse.

"Good." he nodded slowly, looking back at Sakura who was still staring at her hand. "Friends then?" Sakura didn't respond. Kakashi raised an eyebrow and bent to the side to look at Sakura's face. "Sakura?"

Sakura's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell to the ground, unconscious. Kakashi cursed and caught Sakura before she hit the ground. Her fight had finally caught up with her and she needed medical attention immediately.

"Ah, Sakura…" he shook his head, sighing as he picked her up and cradled her in his arms. "You do too much."

Briefly, he looked down at the body and debated if he should check him. With another quick glance at Sakura he forgot protocol and rushed towards the town.

Things were still complicated. While Sakura was probably feeling pretty good, Kakashi was still conflicted. Even when he held Sakura as he ran towards Unon, he became acutely aware of her body.

This isn't good. I can't have these thoughts for her. I'm going to have to get rid of them somehow. He grunted as he pushed off rather roughly on a tree branch. I suppose I could look around Unon for some more female companionship.

He hoped a few nights in different beds would help him get burn off the wicked thoughts he had. Whenever he had troubles, he resulted to sex. It made him forget things and help him keep his distant behavior.

Below him was the road, guiding him to Unon. Not only did he have to deal with the naughty thoughts that consisted of Sakura, he would have to keep a diligent eye out for the gang that had nearly killed them both.

I can't forget why we came out here in the first place. If I do that, then I really don't know who I am anymore. He would have to make sure that the family trusted them before he started discovering who was behind their rise of power. It was going to be a long process.

Kakashi stumbled again, nearly falling to the ground. He shook his head, trying to clear his vision. Damn… This has taken more out of me than I thought. His muscles were aching from lack of rest. To add onto that, he was mentally exhausted.

Sakura suddenly felt very heavy and he had to land. As his feet touched the ground, his legs gave way. He fell on his knees, his breath coming out heavy. He groaned, his gaze exasperated.

"Really, this is too much work for a guy like me." He let himself fall onto his bottom, the cold ground seeping through his pants. He shifted his hold on Sakura, her back propped up against his chest. Kakashi sat there, trying to catch his breath.

"How am I supposed to get us to Unon if I can't move myself?" Kakashi looked around them. They were on the edge of the forest. Through a thin expanse of trees, he could see the dirt road. Beyond that were more trees.

"We haven't even reached the end of the forest yet." he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Things were not going as planned. He knew that from the beginning that the mission would be hard, but he had no idea how many complications they would run into. If he had known beforehand the things they experienced, he doubted he would have gone.

Then again… he looked down at Sakura who was still unconscious. Her hair was unruly and stuck out at odd angles. Kakashi found himself running his hand over her head, straightening her pink locks.

Then again, I wouldn't have had the chance to fix my mistake all those years ago. He doubted Sakura would have talked to him when she came back unless someone forced her to. It was clear the moment they were assigned together that she didn't want anything to do with him.

And now?

She talked to him. She smiled at him. And she had finally said that they were friends and all was forgiven. But still she thought differently.

Kakashi frowned, his hand twitching.

She still saw him as her sensei. She still believed that he was her teacher. It bothered Kakashi beyond belief. But it made no sense. Naruto still called him sensei, so why wasn't he bothered about it with him?

_You know why, you fool. _Kakashi's inner voice was tinged with obvious frustration. Kakashi looked down at the girl in his arms, the object of his growing desire. Her skin was smooth, her hair soft, and her smell was amazing. Kakashi refrained from leaning down and inhaling her soft feminine scent.

In most cases, when Kakashi found himself lusting towards a woman, he would make his desire known. Then, both would share mutual passion, all the while knowing one of them would be gone in the morning, sated. It was always easy for him and he found no problem with it.

This was different. With Sakura, he _knew _he could not give into his desire. Three reasons stood out clearly in his mind, addressing him.

One, Sakura had been his student. _Had _was the key word, but it did happen. To think of a former student in that fashion was wrong.

Two, there was a distinct age difference between them. While he could care less about such a thing, there were those around them that _knew _such a reunion was taboo, no matter how brief. Even though he knew of such relationships, few of those were true love. Most of them were founded on the base of income. More than once had he seen old, fat, or a combination of the two, men strolling along with a blue eyed beauty on their arm.

Three, and most importantly, he had _finally _gotten Sakura to trust him and forgive him. She had _finally _accepted him as her friend. And what he wanted would break that forever.

Sometimes Kakashi cursed his male desires. They were too much for him at times and they made things complicated. Sakura was a fine example of this.

Why did you have to grow into such an attractive woman? A small part of Kakashi told him that blaming Sakura for his lust was just plain childish. But then, another part of Kakashi reasoned that his frustration had to go _somewhere. _

Kakashi looked down at his hand which was now caressing the side of her neck. Immediately he pulled his hand away, fully aware of the growing feeling of heat between his legs.

Even though his hand had pulled away, his eyes were still trained intensely on Sakura. Her long lashes gave her a come hither sort of look. Her chin was jutted out slightly, showing off the smooth curve of her jaw.

Kakashi swallowed, his hand unwillingly running its fingers along her said jaw. His fingertips trailed up until he was brushing her lips with the pad of his thumb.

Perhaps… Perhaps if he just got rid of his silly fantasy with one quick kiss, his ugly lust would disappear. She wouldn't know, he thought as his face inched forward, almost as if it was unsure. She wouldn't make any assumptions. His other hand played with the edge of his mask, his fingers curling around the edge, slowly beginning to pull down.

I'll get rid of my foolish desire with one kiss, then everything will be right again. He didn't want her to get hurt with his desire. He knew things would grow complicated if he did this with her knowledge. He just needed to get rid of it, just get rid of his fantasy.

I just need… one kiss…

His mask slipped down the bridge of his nose and down past his quivering lips. He was… anxious? He stopped, breathing heavily, his heart racing. He stared down at Sakura's soft expression of sleep, unable to take his eyes off of her face. Slowly his gaze shifted to her pink lips, tempting him like sweet ice cream.

He licked his lips. He wanted to taste her. "Just one kiss. That's all I need."

He lowered his face even closer, his lips just barely brushing against her forehead. His breath was hot against her skin, making the flesh turn pink. He trailed his lips down the bridge of her nose, kissing the tip of her nose softly.

His other hand was cradling her head in a way so that her face was parallel with his. His fingers were splayed through her hair, her locks caressing his skin.

His lips moved slowly across her face to her cheek. His tongue flicked out, tasting her. Down, he followed the curve of her jaw. He inhaled deeply as his face moved, sighing with desire. The bulge in his pants was growing harder. He knew he would have to fix that later once he got to Unon.

His mouth ended on her chin, kissing her. Unable to resist, he trailed his tongue down her throat and sucked, loving her flavor. God she was so delicious…

A sudden vibration underneath his lips made him freeze. Quickly he reacted, pulling up his mask and face away from Sakura. Sakura clearly had a small smile on her face, giving him reason to believe she was trailing on the edge of consciousness. She shifted in his lap and immediately her smile faded as she rolled onto her arm. Then, any expression but peace left her face.

Kakashi remembered he had to breathe if he wanted to continue living in the waking world. He swallowed, turning his gaze away.

Too Close. Way Too Close.

He would not be making such an endeavor with her again. Unfortunately his desire was still strikingly clear, the bulge in his pants physical proof. He closed his eye, sighing. "Where has my self control gone?"

When it came to Sakura, self control was hard to maintain.

The sound of wooden wheels rolling along the dirt road made him forget his current predicament. Quickly, he picked up Sakura and rushed towards the road.

A red carriage pulled by two rich chocolate colored horses moved along the road with an air of importance around it. Two guards walked along either side of the cart. Kakashi was quick to notice that they looked like they hadn't seen hide nor hair of a true battle. They did however notice him and immediately pulled out their swords that hung at their waists.

"Who are you?" the one closest to him demanded. Kakashi didn't hear him. He was staring at the symbol on the side of the carriage. It was a dog arching over a lotus. Immediately, his hooded gaze pinned the guard down. His voice was cool.

"My name is Hatake Kakashi. I, and the girl in my arms, Haruno Sakura, are the ninja assigned to protect the Miyazaki family."

The guard snorted and inched the blade of his sword out of its sheath with a flick of his thumb. "You liar. I should cut you down where you stand."

Kakashi stood, slightly bored, as the two inexperienced guards advanced towards them, their hands itching to draw their brand new swords. Kakashi slowly set down Sakura, making sure she was lying comfortably, before turning to the two men.

"I suggest you stand down." said Kakashi, putting his hands into his pockets. "You don't stand a chance."

"Hah! We'll see about that!" the man drew his sword and charged, his grin wild and his eyes wide. Kakashi rolled his eyes and sighed before jumping in the air just as the man swung out with his sword. Kakashi landed on the man's head. The silver haired jonin looked down at the man with a small smile as the said man looked up in horror just before jumping off and bringing a cracking kick to the other man's head.

The other man dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes, knocked out. The other guard stared in horror at Kakashi who turned slowly towards him, his brow raised in amusement.

"Now do you stand down?"

The other man shook with fear, his breath shaky. Like an animal trapped in a corner, he blindly took up his sword and swung it around like a bat. Kakashi sighed again, ducking out of the way of the wildly swung sword before tacking the man to the ground. He pinned the man's hands behind his back and held them in place with his foot.

"Well, that was rather pathetic."

The man beneath him struggled and thrashed to the best of his ability. Kakashi added pressure to his foot and the man cried out in pain, arching his back towards Kakashi. "Augh! My arms!"

"That's quite enough _Komegawa _Kakashi."

Kakashi froze. He whipped his head over to see an older man stepping out of the carriage. The man had shabby clothes on and looked like he hadn't shaved in weeks, but there was a gleam in his eyes that demanded respect.

"Who… are you?"

The man ignored him and moved towards Sakura who was still lying on the ground. Kakashi immediately reacted and moved in front of the man, his arms crossed. "Might I ask what you're doing?"

The older man raised an eyebrow, his gray eyes shinning. "I'm seeing if she's alright. It appears that she needs medical attention. Strange," he stepped beside Kakashi and looked down at Sakura. "It's funny how the medic nin needs a medic nin."

"Hn." Kakashi's eye twinkled with amusement. "And I'm guessing that you'll be taking us to a hospital then?"

"Of course. I don't want my bodyguards, especially one who saved my life, to be hurt on the job. That's just bad business."

* * *

"_Just one kiss."_

_Sakura didn't understand. She didn't even know who was speaking. All she knew was that there was a growing heat in her body, threatening to burn her up._

"_All I need…"_

_A body against her, then her world slowly began to fall into passion. Her clothes fell away from her like water, fading away as they hit the ground. She could feel his warm body against her skin, making her arch into him. _

"_Just one kiss."_

_His hands moved along her body, making her fall against him, unable to resist. "Oh…" she sighed, moving her hands along his strong muscles. "So nice…" _

_She could hear him smelling her deeply. His face buried itself into her hair, his hands intertwined with her locks. Sakura inhaled the musky scent that was her lover, her lips caressing the crook of his neck as he continued to touch her. _

_His hands were so warm and his mouth was so hot. Every touch, every movement sent shivers of pleasure up and down her spine. She moaned and strained towards him, needing him._

_His arms enveloped her, cradling her naked body. Sakura breathed heavily, his sensuous hands making her mind turn to mush. His mouth was on her throat and she moaned, pressing his face closer to her._

"_How..?" Sakura's eyes grew heavy as things began to fade together. Reality as she knew it was falling apart into a world of bliss. His smell was heavenly, like a forest._

_She sighed, his tongue flicking across her flesh. She was growing hotter and hotter by the second. Her legs crossed each other, trying to quell the unfamiliar feeling._

"_I don't… I can't." _

"_Just one kiss."_

_Sakura fell away again, fading into her passion as he sucked her flesh. Her arms curled around his middle, clinging to him. "Oh god…" she moaned. "Just once…"_

_His warmth, her passion, his… It was all she needed to fall away, drifting, swirling, into a world of desire…_

* * *

There was the sound of curtains being opened, bringing Sakura to consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the sunlight that was streaming through the window to the room she was in. Slowly she sat up, making sure not to put too much pressure on her broken arm. 

"So, you're awake?"

Sakura, startled, looked over at the man who was sitting in the far corner of the room. He had on rich colored clothes and a smile that told her he was full of knowledge. The shine in his eyes however was the thing that made her shocked expression fade into a soft look of amazement.

"Old Man… what are you doing here?"

'Old Man' rested his hand on his leg and rubbed it through his clothes. "Would have lost a leg if it hadn't been for you." he stood up and moved towards her bed, smiling all the while. "I'm eternally grateful."

"That's nice." said Sakura slowly. "But you still haven't answered my question. What are you doing here?"

Old Man blinked, confused. Then, it dawned upon him. "Ah, of course you wouldn't know." He bowed, making Sakura confused. "My name is Miyazaki Atsushi. You are in my home."

Sakura blinked, her mind coming to a complete stop.

"What?"

--


	7. Dinner Disaster

A/N: Hey hey, here's the next chapter beta'd by IcarusT for me! I said it once and I'll say it again: _Thanks IcarusT!_

Without further ado...

--

Sakura sighed and rolled onto her side. Still, she could not find a comfortable position and shifted again, onto her other side. She tried to close her eyes and go back to sleep, but sleep would not come. She _had _been resting for a few days now, so it was clear that she would not doze off so easily.

"Aurgh!"

Now on her back again, she pounded her fist on her bed, glaring at the ceiling.

"I'm tired of being cooped up in this stupid bed! I need to get out. I need to move!"

She knew, however, a certain silver haired shinobi just outside her room would force her back into bed. It had happened before and on the third attempt at escape he had actually used a jutsu that had made her legs immobile. Sakura, not wanting that again, continued to sulk and pine over her inability to leave her room. It was a beautiful room, large and well furnished, but it had grown old quickly.

If she had been in a better mood, she would have admired the soft spring colored theme of the room. The oak four post bed was the center piece, soft cotton curtains hanging from the wood. The headboard had the Miyazaki house insignia etched into the wood, making it a masterpiece in itself. The soft carpet made all those who entered want to walk barefoot and the clean smell of the room set people at peace.

Of course, Sakura had grown bored of the room in the first two hours she had woken up. Four days was clearly too much for her to handle. For the millionth time in the last day or two, she got out of bed and wandered around the room. She passed the large vanity mirror and desk and went to the large armoire made with the same exact wood as the rest of the furniture.

She opened its doors and peered in at all the shirts that were hanging up and the pants that were folded neatly on the shelves lining the sides. Having seen it all before, she closed the doors and opened the hope chest at the edge of her bed. Inside were different trinkets that she hadn't touched. She knew they looked important for their sentimental value so she shut the chest and decided to go to the once place that actually changed.

Sakura pulled open the curtains on one of the three large windows that lined the wall opposite to the door. She unlocked the handle in the middle of the window and swung out the wings. Birds that had been sitting just outside the window fluttered away, their wings beating together in a soft melody. Immediately, a nice afternoon breeze hit her face, finally calming her agitated mind.

Unon wasn't a town; it was a city. The buildings were tall and pristine. All the streets were paved and there was the murmur of voices from the people who lived there.

Sakura sighed and rested her elbow on the edge of the windowsill, her chin cradled in the palm of her hand. She itched to go down into the city and explore the streets, if only for an hour or two. Here she was, in a beautiful city, and she couldn't go and see it!

Sakura frowned.

It's because Kakashi-sensei won't let me, she thought with a huff. Stupid man, can't he see I'm alright?

She looked behind her at the door. She knew Kakashi was standing right next to it, waiting for her to bolt again. She stuck her tongue out at the door and swung her legs over the edge of the window. She hung her legs out and sat on the windowsill, looking out.

If she hadn't been so far above ground, she would have jumped long ago. But the Miyazaki Manor was positioned in such a way that the west wing to the house was just on the edge of a cliff that overlooked the town. Unfortunately, that was the very same wing she was in.

Sakura looked down at the small figures that were people and sighed, leaning against the glass pane.

"It's all Kakashi-sensei's fault…"

The dream she had… She was almost positive she knew who the man was. She however refused to address such a thought and continued to dodge it. However, it left her confused as to _why _such a dream had come about.

It came out of the middle of nowhere, that's what!

All she knew was that when Atsushi had left, she had become _acutely _aware of the wetness between her legs.

Sakura blushed and banged her head on the glass. After a while though, she stopped. The glass was helping her cool down her flushed face.

"Augh, such naughty dreams!" she banged her head one last time for good measure. "Why?!"

Sakura, for all she was, was _not _experienced in the ways of sex. Yes she had kissed plenty of men, but her relationships with people had never gone as far as sex. Having such dreams was _far _beyond anything she ever experienced and she couldn't figure out why she had dreamed such a thing.

Maybe it's some side effect to being a virgin. Maybe all these dreams are telling me that it's finally time to get laid. She groaned, leaning her cheek against the cool window. How was she supposed to know? Her mom never taught her; she always ran away flustered when she asked about it. And her father?

Hah. That's rich.

Of course she knew the mechanics of it. It was clear in all the medical books she read. The rumors she always heard about though were what made things so… strange. Sakura remembered asking Ino about it once and she remembered her reply so distinctly.

"_Well…" said Ino, putting a finger to her chin in thought. "It's kind of like…" she scrunched up her brow in thought. "Well, it's sort of like…" She tapped her chin again before throwing her hands up in the air. "Oh Sakura, I can't explain it. All you need to know is that the beginning is a little rocky, but after that…" _

_Ino sighed and hugged herself around the middle. "Oh, it feels _so _good…" _

Sakura never could make head nor tail of what Ino had said. In the end, she decided that Ino had had too much to drink that night and sent her to bed.

There was a knock at her door and Sakura was startled out of her thoughts. She quickly swung her legs back into the room, not wanting Kakashi to scold her for sitting on the window.

"Yeah?"

Kakashi opened the door and entered with a tray of food piled on top. He shut the door softly and smiled at her. "Good afternoon Sakura."

Sakura huffed and fisted her hand on her hip. Her left arm hung in a sling, useless.

"Don't you 'good afternoon' me! Do you realize that every day that passes, I grow more and more weak?" she tapped at her chest, moving towards him slightly. "I need exercise Kakashi-sensei! I don't want to get fat and weak!"

Kakashi's lazy gaze was not moved by her speech. Instead he began to drink his tea, sitting where he usually did - on the edge of the bed.

"Four days in a room isn't going to turn you into a fat slob Sakura. If anything," he gestured towards her lithe form, "you need to gain weight." He sipped at his tea. "You look like a twig."

Sakura gaped at him, unable to find words.

"Why you…! You…!" Sakura stomped her foot and whipped around to face the window, refusing to look at him. "You can be such a jerk, Kakashi-sensei."

"No, I'm just being truthful."

Sakura growled at the obvious truth behind his words. Still, she refused to look at him and instead looked up and across the numerous roofs to see the rolling green farmlands.

Kakashi, grabbing at the opportunity, quickly pulled down his mask and ate his rice bowl quickly. Sakura heard him and turned around, but his mask was already back up.

Sakura sighed, the old longing to see her sensei's face flaring back up again.

"Will you ever let me?" she asked moving back over to the bed and sitting on top of the hope chest, grabbing her bowl.

Kakashi arched an eyebrow. "Let you do what?"

"You know," she managed with her mouth was full with rice, gesturing her chopsticks towards his face before swallowing. "Let me see your face."

Kakashi's eyebrows shot up briefly at the sudden question. How long had it been since he had heard such a request like that? Far too long, almost four years ago.

"But Sakura, you already know what's underneath my mask."

"Bullcrap. Another mask doesn't count. I _know _you have a face." She took another bite, chewing methodically all the while staring at Kakashi. "I want to see at least someday."

Kakashi gave her a small smile, the edge of his eye crinkling slightly. It was fun, remembering such memories. When they were all together, the infamous Team Seven. It was a happy memory that one and he would never forget it.

"Perhaps one day Sakura."

Yes, maybe one day, but not today.

Sakura shrugged, bringing the bowl to her lips. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're just lucky I've learned to drop it."

She scraped the last grains of rice from the bowl into her mouth before setting it back down on the tray. She took up her small porcelain cup of tea before leaning back into the post of the bed. A serious expression soon settled over her features.

"So… Have you found anything?"

Kakashi sighed, crossing his arms and leaning back against the opposite post.

"Hide nor hair. All we know is that there _is _a connection between our attackers and the Miyazaki family."

"Yeah," agreed Sakura, sipping her tea. "The insignia on the ring is exactly the same as the one for the house insignia. My question is why the gang that is working with the Miyazaki family would attack us?"

"I would bet my life that the Miyazaki family is trying to break away from the gang's debt." said Kakashi, closing his eye in thought. "That's probably why they requested body guards; to be protected from the wrath of the gang."

Sakura nodded in understanding. "Yes, that seems to be the most obvious answer. Still, I can't help but feel a bit uneasy."

Ever since she had begun to look around, she had had a weird feeling. She couldn't really describe it, but it was uncomfortable. That was enough to put her on the edge.

"I have the same feeling," murmured Kakashi. Sakura looked up, a little surprised. He looked back at her and for a moment, she saw something in the usually mirrored gaze that was Kakashi's. But it was so quick and fleeting, she decided it was just a trick of the light.

"You know…" he started slowly, looking up at the ceiling. "You _have _been doing better the last day or two. I suppose we could--"

"YES!" Sakura pumped her good fist in the air, startling Kakashi. Sakura began to dance towards her wardrobe, her hips swinging with her small victory dance cheer. "I'm gonna go outside, yeah! I'm gonna leave this room, uh!"

Kakashi chuckled nervously, his hand scratching at the back of his head. Sakura, from an outside party, would have appeared to suddenly gone insane. She was mumbling to herself, whispering excitedly about all the things she was going to do that day.

Maybe you were in here too long…

His thoughts suddenly derailed when Sakura's shirt was pulled up and over her head. He stared unabashedly at her bare back as she searched through small drawers inside the wardrobe.

She exclaimed a moment later and Kakashi knew it was because she had located a bra. She slipped the straps over her shoulders and began to fumble with the clasp at her back. However, doing it with one hand was proving impossible.

"Aw crap… Hey Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi was still staring at Sakura. He murmured a soft, "Hn?" as he stood in his daze.

"I… can't get this stupid… strap!" she hung her hand at her side, defeated. "Can you do it together for me?"

Kakashi blinked, her request startling him out of his spiraling thoughts.

"What?"

Sakura sighed and looked over her shoulder. "Come on, just hook the hooks! I just want to get outside. Now, come on!"

Kakashi swallowed as Sakura began to look through her clothes again as she waited for him. How was he supposed to tell her that he shouldn't come in such contact with her because if he did, he would surely lose self control? He hadn't gotten around to finding a woman to bed because he had been up and guarding Sakura's door so she wouldn't escape. In light of this, his desire was still strong. Even the sight of her bare back made him anxious.

"Sakura, why don't I get one of the maids to do it for you?"

Sakura rolled her eyes as she compared two different shirts.

"Just get over here and do me up. I'm not asking you to _undress _me. I'm asking you to dress me! Unless…" she looked at him again, her eye twinkling with amusement, "you _want _me to walk around without a bra?"

Kakashi's usually stoic expression widened slightly and Sakura could see his skin go pink. She inwardly snickered as she turned back towards her clothes.

"Come on now, Mr. Bashful, I don't have all day."

Kakashi stood there, feeling extremely dumb. He couldn't stand there all day staring at Sakura's back! That would make him look like even more of a fool. Slowly, he stepped towards her, stopping just behind her. Her finger snaked around her side and pointed at the strap that hung useless at her sides.

"You can see the hooks and where they're supposed to go. Put them on the smallest adjustment if you will."

Kakashi nodded, half hearing her words. Slowly his hands reached out and grabbed the two straps. He tried to hook them together, but his hands were shaking so much, it was making things difficult. His knuckles brushing up against her skin was also muddling things up.

"Trouble back there?" kidded Sakura as she was comparing two different skirts.

"Hardly," replied Kakashi, even though he was lying through his teeth. With a deep breath, he finally managed to calm himself enough to hook the clasps together, successfully strapping on Sakura's bra.

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei," said Sakura, moving to turn towards him.

She froze when she felt his hands holding either side of her ribcage. Shivers ran down her spine when she felt the pads of his thumbs begin to draw small circles into her skin.

Kakashi didn't know what happened. All he knew was that his self control had snapped somewhere in the process of him dressing his former student. Whether it was how her muscles rippled as she moved or how soft her skin was, it didn't matter. All he knew was that he was trailing down the road of desire again.

The outfit she had hung over her arm had fallen to the ground in a heap. Her eyes were wide and frozen as Kakashi moved closer to her, his chest against her back. The rough texture of his vest against her skin made her body tingle. She swallowed, her breath coming out in gasps.

"Kakashi-sensei, what are you…?"

Kakashi's hands moved up her sides and along her shoulder blades until his hands were resting on her shoulders.

"You're tense, Sakura," he whispered. His body was as straight as ever, his chin inches above the top of Sakura's head. His hands moved up and down the sides of her arms, making the skin underneath warm up. "Why are you tense?"

Sakura moved to make a reply, but all she could muster up was a pitiful squeak. Things were getting complicated. Things were growing uncomfortable. Things were… Things were…

_Just one kiss… _

Sakura suddenly jumped back into reality, causing Kakashi's hands to leave her form. Unfortunately, she jumped back a little too hard and fell into the armouir. She cried out as she crashed into the clothes and hit her head on the back board. The force of her blunder caused the large doors to swing shut, locking her inside.

Kakashi blinked, Sakura's sudden movement startling him out of his hazy lust. He shook himself, trying to get rid of the growing feeling of desire for Sakura. He had to make up for his moment of weakness fast.

Can't let her know. She must not know…

"I knew you were tense," he teased, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "but so much so that you're throwing yourself into wardrobes?"

Sakura was thankful for the darkness and cool temperature inside the wardrobe. It gave her a few moments to sort things out.

Okay, what the hell is wrong with me?

"Sakura?"

"What?" she snapped, her frustration more than usual.

"Are you okay?"

No I am not okay! I'm trying to figure out why I was fantasizing about you trying to feel me up!

It was clear by Kakashi's words that he had been trying to get her to loosen up, but her dirty mind had twisted his actions so much, she had actually believed he was…

"Stupid, stupid, stupid…"

Kakashi heard a methodic banging inside the wardrobe, leaving him satisfied. Alright, so she doesn't know…

"What are you doing inside of there?"

"None of your business."

"Really? If you want out, you'll make it my business."

There was a silence, and then the doors to the wardrobe shook. Kakashi watched amused as Sakura attempted to get herself out, the handles jigging wildly. Kakashi heard Sakura growl a mix between a groan and a scream before one final crash against the door left things quiet.

"Just let me out."

"Sakura--"

"Please." Sakura was tired, anxious, confused, angry, uneasy, excited and fed up all at the same time. It was a heavy burden, those many emotions at one time. "All I want… is to go outside… and forget everything that has just happened."

Kakashi nodded, crossing his arms.

"Alright, I can agree with that logic. But Sakura?"

Sakura sighed, her head leaning up against the doors to the wardrobe. "What? What else could you possibly want to say?"

"You really do need to relax."

The doors opened and Sakura fell forward into Kakashi's chest. Her hands flailed forward and supported themselves against Kakashi's hips. Her face smushed up against his hard stomach, she looked up at him slowly, unable to take her gaze away from him.

"Ah, not _that_ much…"

* * *

Sakura _had _been excited to get out of the manor, but she was so focused on trying to figure out her muddled thoughts, she couldn't concentrate on the beautiful city around her. It was clear how distracted she was by how she stared at the ground instead of at the numerous street performers.

Where did these thoughts come from? she asked herself as she continued walking. I didn't have them before, so why now?

The question she _should _have been asking was _'why him?'_ but of course she didn't have the courage to even speak of such a thing. It was far too early in her thoughts so she irritably pushed it away.

She sneaked a glance in Kakashi's direction, but every time she looked, he was always focused on something else. A small part of her wanted him to look at her, but of course, that wasn't going to happen. There were too many beautiful women around.

"Kakashi-sensei," she sighed, exasperated. "Why don't you just go up to one of them and ask for a drink?"

Kakashi looked down at Sakura, amused. Was she actually suggesting what he thought she was?

"Who made you the Love Doctor?"

Sakura scoffed and began to look around at their surroundings.

"Yes, I admit, I'm not the perfect 'Love Doctor," she said the last part with dripping sarcasm, "but I would bet I know more about emotions more than you ever will."

Kakashi, startled, looked down at Sakura. She refused to look back up at him though, telling him that she refused to argue about it with him. Kakashi continued watching Sakura as she walked, trying to make sense of what she said.

Yes… I suppose she does know more about love when it all boils down to it admitted Kakashi to himself seeing he had never _truly _been in love. There was the occasional woman he cared about, but he had never felt the weird feeling that people described as they talked about their lover. It was just something that he couldn't wrap his mind around.

"Perhaps," he answered, looking back around at the woman who passed them. He saw with a sort of manly satisfaction a few curvaceous women bat their eyes at him. "And can you say the same thing about your sex life?"

Sakura came to a screeching halt, Kakashi nearly colliding into her. Before he could mutter an apology, she whipped around to face him, her eyes flashing.

"That is none of your business, you pervert!"

Really, did he have any right asking her such an invasive question? No, no he didn't!

And the fact that he _did _ask it was beyond belief.

"It was an innocent question, Sakura." he chuckled nervously, backing up slightly. "I meant no ill will behind it."

Sakura saw the truth behind his words, leaving her with nothing to be angry at. So instead, the hot blush of embarrassment burned at her cheeks. Quickly she turned around and put her hand to her face, trying to cool her skin down.

"It's still none of your business…" she mumbled, still trying to keep her previous anger towards him alive.

Kakashi, on the other hand, saw Sakura's ability to keep her head slowly declining. A sly grin crossed his features as he stuck his hands into his pockets.

"Ah, I get it…"

Sakura turned back around, her skin still pink. "Get what?"

"Why you're so flustered."

"Excuse me?"

"You know…" he cast his gaze to the side of the street, deeming it too dangerous to stare down Sakura, "You're sill a virgin, aren't you?"

Sakura gaped like a fish, unable to express the boiling anger in her stomach.

"How...?!" she scoffed, still unable to speak. Instead, she turned around and marched down the street and away from Kakashi.

How _dare _he!

Kakashi made a move to follow her. Knowing he was trying to catch up, she whirled around on the ball of her foot, holding out her hand, signaling him to stop. "I don't think so! You go and do your thing for an hour or two and I'll go do mine!"

Kakashi stopped, rolling his eye. "Sakura, you can't go by yourself."

"I will…" she started low and dangerous, "and you'll just have to accept that."

Kakashi backed up slightly at the warning in her voice. He was distinctly aware that Sakura was a hair's breath away from coming at him kicking and scratching. Her good hand was in a tight ball of anger and her brow was creased.

Well, he _had _wanted to go look for a book shop so he couldn't see any harm in letting her go off on her own. I mean, she _did _need some time away…

* * *

Kakashi wandered around the city a bit, his mind split into two tasks. One was to find a bookshop and buy an issue of _Icha Icha Violence _to replace the one he had lost. His other task was to figure out how to get rid of his longing for Sakura once and for all.

Not until he locted and purchased his beloved erotica did he begin to think of solutions. He marked his place in his book and put it back into his pocket. He ordered another glass of fruit juice, (he wasn't about to get drunk in the middle of the afternoon) and closed his eye in thought.

So… Sakura is a virgin. Well, that makes my desire far from being able to reach. Even if he did give into his lust for her, he wasn't about to 'pop her cherry'. That wasn't his way. Never before had he taken a virgin and he wasn't going to in the near future.

This is a sign from the heavens. You were never supposed to have such thoughts about her. Not now and not ever.

It _had _to be the only virgin he (now) knew that he wanted to bed. It just _had _to be. Fate was always cruel to him in such ways. It always intervened, eliminating all of his options of joy. He supposed he shouldn't have had such positive thoughts about such a reunion; it was bound to end in disaster anyways.

When the red-headed bombshell brought him his drink, he asked her to take a break with him, giving her the same drink he had ordered. He asked how her day was and she began to break off into a long and overly excited speech about how awful her boss was.

"…only here because Daddy won't give me any spending money. God knows he had enough…"

Kakashi could tell by how heavy her makeup was and how she kept flicking her rich burgundy locks at him that she was interested in him too. Kakashi kept his gaze on her as she continued to talk, but really didn't take in her words. All he cared about was burning off his forbidden desire of a certain pink haired kunoichi.

* * *

Sakura realized five minutes after she forced Kakashi to go his own way that she had absolutely _no _money on her person. Unfortunately this came to her attention when she had decided she liked a certain beaded headband.

"A thousand and forty yen please."

"Right—oh crap…" Sakura gently put down the red headband softly, groaning. "That's right, Kakashi-sensei had the money."

The rather large woman's face turned down in a scowl. Her hands rested on her generous hips, one finger tapping with impatience.

"No money eh? Get out of here then!" she shooed her away with her hands, nearly clipping off the tip of Sakura's nose in the process. "Shoo!"

Sakura stuck her nose out at her, turning as she did so. "The headband wasn't _that_ great…"

Now she wandered around the town, trying to muster the courage to go and find Kakashi and ask him for money. Easier said than done, she thought with distain as she kicked a stray rock with the tip of her toe. Why was it she had to get so angry with him when she needed him most?

It's always like this! What the hell is wrong with me?! AUGH!!

"I suppose…" she thought, defeated, "I should go and try to find him. And it _has _been about forty minutes or so. It's close to an hour…"

Sakura knew she was grasping for straws, but it was better than anything. She looked around the area for Kakashi before moving to a different part of town. As she walked, she kept her awareness up. Even though she was out for a small break, she was still on a mission. She still needed to keep an eye and ear out for the supposed gang that had tried to kill them.

The memory of the giant oak barreling towards her made her muscles tense and her ears sharp. _I refuse to be put in a situation like that again if I have a say in it._ She never wanted to feel that useless _ever again. _Even as she walked, she felt disgusted with herself.

I was so weak. I had to beg for help from Kakashi-sensei. If it wasn't for him, I would be…

Sakura shuddered at the dark thought. No, best not to think of such things. However, her other hand was stroking her arm that hung in her sling broken. No, don't think of such dark things.

Sakura saw a shock of silver hair begin to peak around the edge of the street. Suddenly very happy, she made her way through the crowd of people to reach him.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei, I know I said that we should go and do our own thing, but I decided that--"

She was cut short at the sight of a rather beautiful red-headed young woman clinging onto Kakashi's arm. The couple stopped in front of them; the brown eyed woman a little perturbed and Kakashi as placid as ever.

"Why hello, Sakura." said Kakashi as Sakura found herself unable to breathe. "What are you doing over here?"

"I was…" Sakura couldn't talk. She was being overwhelmed by a rather powerful emotion. It had been a while since she had experienced such a feeling and it had been when she was a young girl.

_WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON KAKASHI-SENSEI!! I'LL KILL YOU!! _

"I'm sorry," started Sakura again, shaking herself of the foreboding feeling, giving Kakashi a mock frown. "You didn't introduce your friend."

Kakashi felt himself able to breathe again. He had waited anxiously for Sakura's reaction of the young woman on his arm. He wanted to see how Sakura would respond to such a sight and when she took it as easily as anything else, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"Oh, right. Sakura, this is Yuriko. Yuriko, this is Sakura, my friend and partner."

Sakura held out her hand, a greeting of peace. "Hello."

When Yuriko smiled, Sakura _immediately _saw the venom and malice behind the other woman's eyes. Even how Yuriko curled her hand into hers was just covered in dangerous vibes. Yuriko's grip tightened in such a way, the sharp edges of her manicured nails dug into Sakura's skin.

"Hello, Sakura."

Sakura managed a smile, hers holding the same challenge behind her lips. While Yuriko was clawing over Kakashi, all Sakura wanted was for her to back off. She wasn't going to go after him so she had no reason to be such a _bitch. _

Really, what the hell is her problem?

"It's nice to meet you," said Sakura, giving her such a sweet tone. Yuriko's beautiful face faltered into a twisted scowl. Sakura caught it immediately and knew that she was the more mature one of them both. With that knowledge in mind, she put up all of her defenses and turned her gaze to Kakashi who was still staring at her with his blank gaze.

"Kakashi-sensei, I guess you took my advice then?" Sakura smiled at him and Kakashi gave a weak chuckle.

"Yes, I did." His eye widened in slight surprise. "And what do you know? It worked."

Sakura rolled her eyes and punched him in the shoulder, causing him to rub his shoulder in mock pain.

"You're such a putz, you know that?" Sakura ignored the flaming red head on his arm and held out her hand, palm up. "Money. Now."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, putting his free hand lazily on his hip. "So greedy Sakura. Can't I get a please?"

Sakura shook her head back and forth rapidly.

"Not for you, I won't. Now," she flexed her fingers, "give me some money so I can go and do something while you and Yuriko go and do something."

Yuriko seemed to take an air of pride when she heard her name included in the conversation. She looked up at Kakashi who was still looking at Sakura with a strange expression on his face. Of course, only Sakura could see it because she had been with Kakashi longer.

"You know Kaka-kun," whispered Yuriko, digging her nails into his arm like a vulture would a carcass, "I would like us to have a little alone time if you know what I mean."

There was an uncomfortable silence between the trio, one that Yuriko obviously didn't know where it came from. But between Kakashi and Sakura however was a certain feeling of astonishment.

Sakura's mouth began to stretch in a grin and Kakashi felt himself inwardly groan.

_KAKA-KUN?!? _

Oh my god, she called him Kaka-kun! Oh my god that is the single most hilarious thing in my entire life—well aside from the mudman incident—but this…!

Sakura's grin was quickly splitting into giggles. Quickly she turned away and suppressed her laughter, her shoulders shaking.

Oh my god… Are you serious?

Kakashi looked at Sakura, trying to ignore the embarrassment that was clearly beginning to show itself on his person. Sakura had turned her gaze to the side, staring rather intently at a pebble. Her index finger was hooked in such a way that it covered her lips, but it was clear by the pink flush to her cheeks she was trying her best not to drop to the ground guffawing.

"Um…" Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. He had been called 'Kaka-kun' before by more flirtatious women, but he wished Sakura hadn't been there when it happened.

Fate was making sure he got the message. Believe you me, he was getting it.

"Right…" He dug into his pocket and pulled out a small roll of bills, holding them out to Sakura. Just get her away and maybe I can save the sliver of what is left of my dignity.

Sakura was still having trouble with her laughter so she shook the money quickly without a word. She gave him a shaking smile, one that made Kakashi's pride shrink even smaller.

"Thanks," her voice was wavering uncontrollably so she cleared her throat and started again. "Thanks, Kakashi-sensei."

Sakura knew Kakashi was uncomfortable and she felt a little guilty for making things worse. Then again, he _had _given her a rather nasty taste of jealousy suddenly and she wasn't about to forgive him for that. Luckily for her, she had no reason to continue to be jealous of Yuriko. She's hardly worth my time.

"Now, you and Yuriko go and have fun. I don't want to be a burden." She gave the woman another look, one that was so strong and matured that it made Yuriko flush pink with embarrassment.

"Go on now." She stepped out of their way and gestured down the road. "Go and do your thing, whatever that may be."

Kakashi felt a little awkward at how easily Sakura had handled the situation. "Right…" he looked down at the woman on his arm. Yuriko was clearly trying to suppress something, but she wasn't doing a very good job.

Kakashi felt the old teacher pride swell in his chest again. Sakura had done a perfect job at handling a 'hostile opponent'. Sakura, you continue to surprise me.

"I'll see you later then?"

"Of course," said Sakura, already starting up where Kakashi and Yuriko had come from. "I can't get away from you even if I wanted to."

Yuriko had had _enough _of the interaction between the two. She wasn't about to lose Kakashi to a woman that, even though she was older, clearly didn't have the near perfect body like hers. She got what she wanted and what she wanted was Kakashi.

"Let's go Kaka-kun." she pouted slightly, pulling on his sleeve. "I'm hungry."

Kakashi nodded and started back down the road. He stopped, frozen, when he heard one last teasing remark from Sakura.

"Goodbye Yuriko. Goodbye _Kaka-kun! _"

Yuriko rolled her eyes and pulled on Kakashi's sleeve again. "How she's your friend, I have no idea. Come on, let's go."

Kakashi let himself be lead down the road into a small deli. Even the smell of food didn't derail him from his surprised thoughts.

She… didn't call me sensei.

Even though her way was mocking, and she probably didn't notice, it was something that Kakashi felt was important to him.

A small milestone, but a milestone none the less.

* * *

Sakura went through the town, replacing all the things she had lost in the river. While most of her new clothes were given to her by the generosity of Atsushi, there were still a few things she needed.

"I think this is the fourth time I've had to buy shampoo and soap," she groaned as she put the two bars of apple scented soap and the bottle of all natural shampoo into her canvas bag she had purchased earlier. "I swear, I think this has been the dirtiest month of my entire life."

Well, she thought again as she moved to the next stand, looking at the small trinkets, that's not entirely true…

There had been, at one point of her extended three year mission, where things had gotten so miserable and cold, what she had experienced the last month paled in comparison. There had been so much rain and snow that the ground had turned into a slushy ice bath. It had ruined her best sandals and nearly made her toes freeze off.

Then again, she thought as she moved to the next stand, spotting a hairbrush, nearly drowning and being crushed by an oak tree is pretty high up there on my 'never again' list She bought the brush with a smile and a few bills and stuffed that into her growing bag.

"Now…" she murmured to herself, looking around the small alley that was packed to the brim with people, "where to next?"

With a sudden realization, she quickly weaved her way through the crowd of people until she spotted what she wanted.

Even though the dark gray vest wasn't nearly as tough as her old jonin vest, it was similar in shape. It even had the protective collar that would shield most weapons that came to towards her for a quick death.

Sakura immediately fished out the bills needed to purchase it. Once the fabric fell over her shoulders, she immediately felt much more secure about herself. I didn't know how much I bonded with my uniform, she thought surprised as she adjusted the vest so it fit better across her chest. I'll have to ask for a more proper one once we get back to Konoha.

Sakura continued to look at what else the man behind the stall had to offer. It seemed that the man had a few connections because he even had weapons for sale. Sakura knew she needed a few so she asked to see what he had.

"What is a young lady like you doing with weapons?" the man asked with suspicion. Sakura raised an eyebrow and turned around her hitai-ate that hung around her neck. The metal plate flashed in the light, making the man wince slightly. His eyes widened when he saw the gaping slash in the metal.

"This is why." Sakura stated coolly before spinning the metal plate back around. "Now, I would like to see your wares."

"O-of course." stuttered the man, pulling up a few different boxes containing much nicer weapons than the ones on display. Sakura picked up a senbon and ran her finger along the cool metal. Up and up until the barest touch of her finger to the tip drew blood.

"Well, well," said Sakura, spinning the senbon between her fingers much to the fear of the vendor. "It looks like you know how to make a weapon."

The man mumbled something incoherent so she decided not to push. She purchased a few smoke bombs, kunai, senbon, and a pack to put them in, before leaving. Even as she walked away, she still felt uneasy about the man. There was something off about him and she couldn't quite figure it out.

"Must be my imagination," she mumbled to herself as she continued to walk around the market, completely forgetting the man.

* * *

Sakura munched happily on a candied plum as she made her way back to the mansion. She had splurged all of her remaining money on food, not caring if she gained a pound or two.

"Kakashi-sensei had said that I needed to gain weight." she said to herself as she chewed. "So I guess it's not much of a problem."

Sakura stopped just below the steps that lead to the manor. She needed to make sure she looked decent before she went up to meet the entire family. She swallowed her food and ran her tongue along her teeth, trying to feel if anything had gotten stuck.

"Wouldn't that be something? First smile I give and there's something big and purple smack dab in my pearly whites." Sakura scratched at her teeth as she made her way up the steps. "Man, what a first impression that would be."

Upon entering the mansion, she was greeted by Atsushi. Sakura put down her bag on a nearby bench and bowed in respect.

"Hello sir," she straightened, a small smile on her lips. "How has your day been?"

Atsushi had a strange expression on his face, one that Sakura couldn't pin. All she knew was that there was something off about him and it wasn't in a good way.

"It's been… interesting, to say in the least. Luckily for your friend, we got things worked out."

Sakura's brow rose in confusion.

"Huh? Are you talking about Kakashi-sensei?" The way that Atsushi spoke, it was clear that he was tired emotionally. And by the way he seemed to straighten when Kakashi's name was spoken, she concluded there had been a few complications between them.

"What happened, if I may ask, sir?"

Atsushi stepped out of the way of the door and gestured towards a nearby room.

"Come Sakura, you can see for yourself."

Sakura, a little uneasy, followed the direction of Atsushi's hand. With him close behind, she pulled open the doors ahead of her and peered inside. When a familiar head of red hair caught her eye, she _immediately _knew what occurred.

"Oh Kakashi-sensei," she groaned, shaking her head and pinching her brow as Yuriko watched her with a familiar glare of distaste, "out of all the ladies, you had to pick Lord Atsushi's daughter?"

"It was accident, I assure you," Kakashi managed from the other side of the room, a safe distance away from Yuriko and apparently her mother who sat next to her. There was a strong similarity between the two women, both sharing the same colored hair and sharp chins.

"I didn't realize it until we found ourselves walking to the same destination." Kakashi scratched his head, still rather uncomfortable about the situation. "I should have known the similarity between her and Lady Mari."

Sakura turned around and bowed deeply, embarrassment donning her features. "I'm so sorry, Lord Atsushi."

"You have nothing to be sorry about," soothed Atsushi. He cast a sharp glance over at Kakashi, causing the man to glance up at the ceiling. "And your sensei has been forgiven under the grounds that all contact," he looked to his daughter who suddenly looked to be only twelve years old, "is kept under my watchful eye."

Sakura straightened, nodding her head.

"Yes sir." She glared at Kakashi who was still staring at the ceiling. "That would be an excellent idea."

* * *

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I didn't know."

"And you couldn't tell?"

"No."

"Even though they look exactly the same, you couldn't tell."

"… No."

"Are you serious?"

"…"

Sakura threw her good hand up into the air out of sheer frustration. She whipped back around to Kakashi whose nose was buried into his newly acquired issue of _Icha Icha Violence._

"I can't believe you! I mean, were you really so focused on the idea of a warm bed that you couldn't see that Yuriko was Atsushi's daughter?"

Kakashi turned another page, taking in all of Sakura's anger filled words with ease.

"Really Sakura, do you find me so one minded?"

"At this point in time, yes! Yes I do! You nearly cost us our job Kakashi-sensei, _our job! _"

"I know."

"And?"

"And what?"

"How do you feel about that?"

Kakashi pondered for a moment. Did he feel bad about it? He searched through his current emotions. He felt like he needed to get out and drink a bit. Then, he felt like he still needed a nice woman with supple curves. Afterwards, he would be grateful of the forbidden lust towards Sakura that left his body.

"I'm fine."

Sakura sighed heavily, plopping down on the bed next to Kakashi, tucking her broken arm to her chest and putting her other behind her head. She stared at his back and kicked him, causing him to slip closer to the edge of the bed.

"I can't believe you. You can be so horrible sometimes, you know that?"

Kakashi looked out of the corner of his eye. "Do you really think that?"

Sakura looked back up at the white curtain hanging over her bed.

"No, not exactly. But I think you can be such a pain in the ass."

"Everyone thinks that at some point in time."

"Yes," agreed Sakura, somersaulting backwards off her bed and towards the windows, "but you seem to annoy me far more than anyone else."

The way Sakura said it, she seemed to be annoyed, but at the same time, confused. Kakashi turned around fully on the bed, looking at Sakura's back.

"So?"

"So what?"

Sakura turned and gestured towards the door. "Are you still going to pursue her?"

Kakashi's eyebrow shot up in surprise. He hadn't expected that from her. In fact, the thought never really crossed his mind.

"I don't think so." said Kakashi smoothly, putting _Icha Icha Violence _back up to his face.

"What?" Sakura turned back around, crossing her arms. It was clear by the tone of her voice that she was not going to be convinced so easily. "And why, may I ask?"

Kakashi, being the talented Copy Ninja, wasn't dumb enough to tell her that he had only gone with Yuriko because he needed a night of passion. He could only imagine the reaction of Sakura if he said something that insensitive. Instead, he looked down back at the pages of his book and said, "She wasn't my type."

Sakura snorted softly, silently agreeing with him. She was everything that he wasn't and more. Also, she was a little witch that had yet to mature. Sakura hated women like that and always found them to be insufferable. She couldn't begin to wonder how Kakashi had gone as far as he did with her. She would have guessed he would have dropped her at "Kaka-kun."

Then again, Yuriko was a very attractive woman. She was far more appealing to the eye than Sakura would ever be. While Yuriko radiated elegance and beauty, Sakura was built muscularly and had a rather flat body. When the almighty creator brought her into being, he apparently forgot to give her curves.

While Sakura believed she wasn't unattractive, there were many other women out there that could easily score a man. Sakura sometimes found this to be rather unfair, but when she found herself in a tight spot during a mission, she silently thanked the solitude that was her mind.

Relationships for a nin usually ended as disasters. There was just too high of a chance of death. Reunions such as marriage between two ninja only occurred to keep the population of the people up and keep the strong bloodlines alive. In short, anniversaries hardly ever went past five years.

But she was straying off her train of thought. Kakashi-sensei would never commit himself, thought Sakura with a hint of sarcasm. That's too much for a man such as himself.

She could only guess why he had stayed with Yuriko. He _was _a man. And men only wanted _one thing _, and that included her former sensei.

There was a knock at the door, startling Sakura. Kakashi however wasn't fazed and continued to read his book. Sakura looked down at him and frowned.

"You expect me to get it, don't you?"

"Of course."

"This is _exactly _what I mean," grumbled Sakura, crossing the room briskly. As she passed Kakashi, she made sure to punch him in the shoulder, making him frown in mock pain.

"Not so hard, my dear Sakura."

"Shut it, you perv," Sakura spat out before turning and opening the door.

To her surprise, a rather attractive man stood in front of her. Sakura blinked, tilting her head to the side slightly.

"May I ask who you are?"

The man flashed a smile, one that Sakura couldn't ignore. He inclined his head slightly, a long piece of dark hair slipping out of place from behind his ear.

"My name is Yuu. We were supposed to meet a while ago, but then there was that incident with your partner and my sister…"

Sakura ran though her memory. She did remember seeing someone sitting somewhere across the room, but she had been so angry with Kakashi that she didn't even realize he was there.

Sakura immediately flushed and bowed, trying to hide her burning cheeks. "I am very sorry!" she gasped, straightening. "I didn't mean--"

"You didn't do anything," he said softly, making her loosen up a bit. "You don't need to worry." His glance shifted and Sakura turned to see what he was looking at.

She curved and smacked into Kakashi's chest, something that had apparently come out of nowhere. She rubbed her nose and backed up enough to where she wasn't crushing herself against the masked shinobi or invading the private space of Atsushi's son.

"I believe we've already met," said Yuu softly. Sakura could hear the tenseness in his voice and the warning it held.

"Yes." Kakashi was as laid back as always, but there was a sort of hard tone to his voice that competed with Yuu's.

Sakura suddenly felt like she was in the middle of a battlefield. Silently excusing herself (neither of them heard her) she stepped to the side and stood by the open door, watching with rapt interest.

Yuu was staring down Kakashi, his green eyes narrowed slightly. It was clear that he was still angry with Kakashi for fraternizing with his sister and he wanted to put him in his place.

If only he knew that Kakashi was not about to be put in his place by a man who was at least four years his junior. Besides that, Kakashi let no one pin him down. His inability to show up on time and his carelessness with his erotica books blatantly recognized this.

Kakashi began to think that Yuriko was not worth all of the negativity towards him. Silently, he wished he could go back in time (again) and change his decision. There were plenty of beautiful women out there, so why did he have to choose his client's daughter?

Ah, fate, you're a riot.

Kakashi tilted his head back slightly so he was now staring down at Yuu, patently telling him that he was not going to get anywhere with him glaring at him. Yuu sensed the message and backed up slightly, but it was more out of comfort than fear. Still, he made sure to keep his pride around himself and refused to budge in his feeling towards the older man.

"I came down here," he started, breaking eye contact with Kakashi to turn to Sakura who had felt _completely _ignored during the two's silent showdown, "to tell you that dinner is almost ready. We look forward to your…" he sneaked another glance towards Kakashi who met him with his own hooded one, "… company."

When the air was met with silence again, Sakura deemed it was time that Yuu left. Sakura stepped between the two men's dominance battle and promptly ended it. Kakashi turned around, knowing Sakura had had enough and leaned against the wall adjacent to the door, his hitai-ate and mask covering any part of his visible face.

"We'll be down there in a minute," said Sakura, trying to draw Yuu's attention away from her companion. "Thank you for informing us."

Yuu continued to look at Kakashi, his fists tightening instinctively.

"Yes…" He slowly tore his gaze away from the other man and looked back to Sakura. Immediately, a much more warm and friendly demeanor met the man. "Yes, you're welcome… Sakura, I presume?"

"Yes," said Sakura bowing. "A pleasure meeting you, Yuu-san."

"Please, just call me Yuu." The younger man gave Kakashi one last look before turning around and heading down the hallway. "We'll see you then," he called before Sakura shut the door with a sound click.

Sakura still held onto the doorknob as Kakashi pushed off the wall and tucked his hands into his pockets.

"You know--"

"Don't."

"But I--"

Sakura sighed and shook her head before swinging around, smiling softly. Kakashi looked down at her, a little surprised. It had been a while since he had seen such an expression on her face. He raised his eyebrow slightly.

"Hm?"

She clicked her tongue against her cheek before opening the door again.

"Men fighting over a woman… I didn't tag you as that type of guy, Kakashi-sensei."

"Wh-? Wait." He made to grab her as she walked out of the door. "Sakura, I think you've got your facts mixed up!"

He peered around the corner as she walked down the hallway.

Shutting the door behind him, he caught up easily with her with his long strides.

"We weren't fighting over Yuriko, I assure you."

"It's okay," she said, twining her fingers together and resting them on the back of her head, "I don't care. Besides," she shrugged, "she is an attractive woman. I can see why Yuu is so protective over her."

"I'm _not _fighting over her," he assured, looking down at her.

"I said it's okay," said Sakura smoothly, nodding her head at the end slightly to emphasize her words. "I know you are but a man so I can forgive you."

Kakashi stopped as she continued on down the hallway, completely thrown off guard.

When he began to understand Sakura and all of what she was, he didn't know. All he knew was that it was going to be a long and confusing process. He hoped it wouldn't leave him eternally befuddled.

"…What?"

* * *

Sakura found herself sitting next to Atsushi and Yuriko while Kakashi was sitting next to Mari, Atsushi's wife, and Yuu. Sakura knew that wherever Kakashi sat, there was going to be conflict. She did wish however that he wasn't sitting next to the other young man. Such contact practically demanded conflict. So Sakura sat diagonally across the table from Kakashi, biting her lip. She tried to meet and hold his gaze, trying to silently tell him to keep rein on his behavior. But the way he was positioned and how he sat silently staring at his placemat made it that she wasn't able to reach him in any way.

The table was silent, everyone immersed in their own thoughts. Mari was sipping at her wine, staring across the table to her husband sitting at the head. Mari gestured her head in the direction of their daughter who was also trying to get Kakashi's attention by sighing and leaning her chin on her hand in such a way, her slender neck was clearly visible.

Atsushi cleared his throat and Yuriko jumped. She gave him a hesitant glance, her cheeks already flaming. Sakura took a sort of satisfaction out of the other woman's obvious fault. She brought her wine glass to her lips, hiding the smirk that had begun to form.

Yuu was sitting in his chair as a statue would stand in a town square. His eyes were also looking down at the table, but his features were so sharp and still, Sakura believed for a moment time had actually stopped around the man. But he blinked eventually and Sakura deemed him to be an ordinary man, albeit tightly wound. Still, every so often, she could see his eyes flicker in the direction of her former sensei. Each time this happened, Yuu always seemed to tighten up any slack in his body that he let loose.

Sakura was finding herself becoming increasingly jealous of Yuriko. She couldn't believe all the fuss going on about a girl who was obviously too big for her britches. If she was her daughter, she'd definitely lay the smack down on her overly flirtatious offspring. Even now as Yuriko swirled her finger along the tablecloth, flicking her gaze back and forth from Kakashi, Sakura wanted to dump her wine glass on the narcissistic red-head. Of course, she wouldn't be doing her job very well if she decided to take that course of action so she opted for silence and restraint.

And so the silence stayed, neither person taking the initiative and starting a conversation. There was the occasional cough or sip of wine, but besides that, not a word was muttered.

Sakura felt herself become increasingly bored. Trying not to fidget too badly, she began to look around at the large dinning hall, remembering what kind of home they were in. A giant glass chandelier hung from the ceiling, sending rainbow lights dancing on the ebony table. Long windows reaching from the ceiling to the floor made up the entire east wall. Sakura could only imagine what the sunrise would look like at breakfast in the morning.

The night, however, had taken over. The stars were shinning brightly in the clear night sky, making the moon look all the more brighter. Sakura could see the rooftops of the many houses of Unon and all of the lights inside the homes. They were a warm contrast to the dark of the night and made everything seem a bit surreal. Even the dinning room they were in was much more welcoming than the empty night.

Sakura remembered during her long mission being alone in the forest, clinging to her cloak, staring up into the same vacant sky. She remembered looking at the stars, wondering how Naruto was doing. Every passing night, she could picture him growing a little bigger, a little wiser. She would try to envision his face against the night sky, but the darkness was always so big and overwhelming, his vision would fade and she would be left alone with the moon.

Now, as she looked up at the sky from her cushioned seat, she began to think of her friend again. She didn't know why, but she guessed it was because she longed for someone to talk to. She needed someone to confide all of her thoughts with.

Stealing a glance towards Kakashi, she began to ask herself why she didn't confide unto him. Perhaps it was because he still seemed to be insensitive, or maybe it was because she didn't fully trust him yet.

Or maybe it was because of him that made her want to speak. His actions and his reactions to their world around them made her begin to think. Every time, she would falter in her thoughts for they continued to grow and grow within her, she had no room to put them.

Three years away from her loved ones had been a stress that she didn't want to live though again. And even though she had gotten to speak to them for a little while, it wasn't nearly enough time to catch up. At the time, she had wanted to leave just so she could keep moving. But as she sat and let her thoughts build up, she regretted her decision greatly.

Everything is growing so thick. Her inner voice was heavy with depression as she stared at the flickering candles set in the middle of the table. The white wax of the non scented sticks dripped down the iron holders, threatening to fall onto the tablecloth

It's like I'm wading through cotton. Everything is blurring together into soft white. I can't make sense of much anymore.

Atsushi had watched the many emotions flicker across the pinked-haired woman's face like an enchanted canvas. The depth and the feeling behind her eyes were almost dreamlike. He could only begin to imagine the thoughts running through the woman's head. All he knew was that whatever she was going through, it was going to be rough.

Switching his gaze towards his daughter, he felt a sort of dissatisfaction fall upon his shoulders. His daughter was becoming increasingly fickle and childish, even at her blossoming age of eighteen. He put most of the blame on his wife, a woman who believed the world was centered on aesthetics. The almost identical features between Mari and Yuriko were enough to prove the influence the older woman had on her daughter.

When he first heard about Yuriko's and Kakashi's... liaison, his first thought was to destroy the silver-haired man. Then, his thoughts switched to the handicapped woman who apparently meant a lot to the man. He _had _stood in his way, prepared to fight him for the safety of the girl. He wondered how Sakura would react to Yuriko, knowing full well how easily jealousy leapt at the hearts of woman _and _men.

To his astonishment, the woman had dealt with it coolly and collected, something that he wished Yuriko would learn to do. He envied Kakashi for that reason only - to have a female companion such as Sakura. She was obviously a level-headed woman and could rein her temper when the situation called for it. She also had a knack for diffusing difficult situations.

He couldn't help but think that the silver-haired man, however, didn't know what an amazing woman Sakura really was. Of course 'amazing' was a bit too much of a word to describe a woman he had only known for a little less than a week. He could guess though that if he spent a little more time around her, he would get to know her a little better and prove his assumptions.

With Kakashi's ignorance to his companion's talent and smarts, he could only feel sorry for the pink-haired ninja. He didn't want to think about how she went from day to day with such a hopeless man such as Kakashi around her for more than necessary. Then again, he didn't have the feelings that Sakura had for the other man, ones that apparently she too was ignorant of.

There was the sound of doors swinging open and a series of servants wheeled out silver carts with covered dishes of delicious smelling food. At their arrival, there seemed to be a sort of relaxed feeling around the table. Sakura was immensely pleased at their arrival, silently thanking them for dragging her out of her spiraling thoughts. Not only that, the delectable foods that were revealed to her left her salivating.

There was a quiet thank you murmured from Atsushi as his progogi was set before him, rice heaped with vegetables on the side. Even though her food didn't look half as good as his, it was better than she had had in a long time. Not even the sight of unagi and yellowtail sushi being laid out in front of Yuriko and Mari could dampen her mood. Her hand twitched in her lap, aching to grab the chopsticks that sat beside her plate. The stupid wood sticks ceased to taunt her.

Kakashi watched as identical platters of calamari, brown rice, and fried eggplant and sweet onions were set before Yuu and himself. He was already looking down at the vegetables and trying not to push them onto Yuu's plate. However, the calamari looked very appetizing. His stomach growled, having not eaten very much that day, and he waited patiently for Atsushi to start eating.

When the elder man picked up his chopsticks and ate the first piece of marinated meat, Sakura instantaneously picked up her own chopsticks and began attacking her own food, trying to balance etiquette with her gnawing hunger. Luckily, she did so and managed to slow herself to a healthy pace. Doing so allowed her to savor the delicious taste of the food.

Curious as to what everybody else ate, she looked around the table and down at the plates, trying not to be too obvious. Of course, the women had the expensive sushi with apparently "Home made secret soy sauce," according to their conversation. Sakura's eyes swung around the table as she chewed, landing on Kakashi's plate. Calamari and brown rice. Off to the corner, she could see a heap of lightly battered vegetables. Sakura smiled softly to herself, knowing all too well how much he didn't like tempura.

Chopsticks invaded the plate, grabbing a piece of the fried seafood and lifting it off of the fine china. Sakura's eyes followed up, something that anybody would find themselves doing while they were watching others eat.

When Sakura's eyes stopped at an unfamiliar face, she stopped chewing. She almost turned to Atsushi and asked him why this strange man had suddenly sat down with them and begun eating with them.

Before she could inspect the man closer, his shock of silver hair and his hitai-ate covering a good ninety percent of the man's face, a sudden realization came upon her. It was so sudden and so quick, she found herself reeling.

"Wait!"

Flinging her hand up to cover her eyes, she caught the edge of her plate and sent it flying into Yuu's chest. Yuu reacted quickly, his eyes wide as he jumped/tipped out of his chair, falling and crashing to the floor. The tablecloth hooked onto his boot, sending the white silk, and all the food on it, sliding off the polished table and onto the poor, unsuspecting man.

There was a sort of muffled woof, and then the smell of something burning permeated the air. Atsushi jumped out of his chair as Mari and Yuriko gasped in horror as smoke began to billow up from the heap of food and cloth. Kakashi was already down on his knees along with Atsushi, trying to beat out the flames that had ignited thanks to the candles. Yuu was on his back, thumping his hands furiously on his chest, trying to quell the growing fire.

There was the smell of overcooked food after the blaze had been subdued. Plates and bowls clinked together as Yuu stood covered with soy sauce and vegetables. He stared at Sakura who was already pale and unable to string a single thought together. There was a sort of awkward silence as everyone stared at Sakura. Well, everyone except Kakashi who was still kneeling on the ground, trying his best to subdue his tremendous laughter.

There was a crash from the kitchen and servants scrambled into the dining room, carrying buckets. With a heave and a tremendous splash, Yuu was covered in water that was needed two minutes ago. The food was cleaned off of his clothes for the most part at least, but the fabric clung to him like fur would to a wet dog. The servant girls stood, breathing heavily and clinging onto their buckets, unable to move after their fault became crystal clear.

Yuu, along with everyone else, turned to Sakura to see what she thought about all of this.

_Did you see how HIGH those flames were?! _

Sakura's head was already in her arm, her mind not able to make head or tail of what chaos she had created.

--

A/N: If you want to know what I say about your reviews, go to my user profile here on and click on the link at the bottom. It'll take you to my blog where I reply to every review I recieve.

Speaking of reviews, thanks to all of you who sent me such kind words. Even though it may not be much, I truly do appreciate it. Such positive feedback is always a fuel for my muse. Thanks!


	8. Red Haired Demon

--

Sakura sighed as she scrubbed at the thick teriyaki sauce that had apparently made itself part of the varnish. The fire had burned it, causing it to froth and bubble, making it look neither appealing or appetizing. The smell of it and the rest of the food she had thrown into a metal bucket beside her also mixed and wasn't all that pleasant.

Sakura twisted her face in disgust as she dunked the scrubbing pad back into the warm soapy water. Grabbing it tightly with her good hand, she proceeded to rub the brush furiously on the ground. She watched the gray suds slowly turn into a dull brown and she knew she was getting somewhere.

Sitting up, she used the back of her hand to wipe up the sweat that had begun to build the last hour and a half. She rolled her shoulder in her socket before putting the scrubber back to the floor.

"I can't complain," she murmured to herself as she moved the hard bristles into the warm colored floor. "I _did _ruin dinner…"

At the memory of Yuu standing in his soaked formal clothes, looking almost helpless, Sakura bit back a groan of embarrassment. Sinking her head to the back of her hand, she hit her head repeatedly against the scrub brush.

"I can't believe I actually did that! What the hell is wrong with me?"

"Still cleaning I see."

Sakura sat up, startled. From her place on the floor, she could see Kakashi standing on the other side of the table. His droopy eye gaze was down in her direction, the orange cover of his _Icha Icha Violence _a bright contrast to his mask.

Sakura was in no mood to talk to the man who had caused her to make a fool of herself. Glaring back down at the ground, she brushed furiously at the polished wood, her fingers gripping the wood of the scrubber with a white knuckle ferocity.

"Go away," she grumbled, adjusting her grip.

Kakashi continued to watch her, his previous laughter beginning to bubble back up. Sliding a chair out from beneath the table, he sat down and crossed his arms on the table.

Sakura heard the screech of the chair and she stopped cleaning. Throwing the brush harshly into the bucket of soapy water, she glared up at him.

"Go away." She didn't care about the smell, her aching arms, or the brown water that had splashed all over her clothes. All she wanted was for the man before her to leave.

"Why?" he asked simply, tilting his head slightly. He was curious as to why Sakura had done what she did at dinner. Surely she couldn't have caused such a mess without some sort of initiative.

"Because!" She stood up, wobbling slightly as she rose. Her legs were aching from kneeling on the ground and protested mightily at the sudden movement. Sakura didn't either notice or care because she pointed an accusing finger at the silver haired man and practically screamed, "This is all your fault!"

Kakashi chuckled softly, amused.

"My fault?" He leaned back in his chair and looked around the room – more specifically, the small pile of cleaning supplies on the ground and the heap of the ruined tablecloth. "I had nothing to do with this. You," he said, gesturing back towards Sakura with his book, "did this all on your own."

"Excuse me?" Sakura was not about to be the one to take all of the blame, especially since Kakashi was the one who made her so shocked in the first place. She slapped her hand on the table and leaned over to Kakashi who stared up at her with his droopy eye gaze. "_You _were the one that started it all!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow and brought the front legs of the chair back onto the ground. Standing up, he now was looking down at Sakura, but the pink haired jonin was not about to be moved.

"I'm confused," he started slowly, intrigued at how Sakura made it seem the chaotic dinner was his fault. "Enlighten me as to how I played a role in this."

Sakura gave him an "Are you kidding me" look. Was he really that clueless? Straightening to her full height, she pointed at his face, her eyes flashing.

"It was your stupid mask you moron!" She turned around, throwing her hand in the air. "How could you do something so drastic so suddenly?"

Not only did he nearly shock her out of existence, he had ruined a perfectly good moment. She had tried to hide her eyes so she wouldn't see his face, but she had accidentally sent her plate flying when her hands moved to shield her surprised orbs.

She whipped back around, glaring at the stunned man. "You gave me no warning whatsoever! And what's more…!"

Sakura stopped in her tirade, her finger drooping. She let her hand fall to her side, her eyes downcast.

"Never mind…" she murmured, slowly sinking back to the ground. Grabbing the brush, she began to clean the floor again, albeit with less force.

Kakashi stood, trying to take in all of her words.

'_So…' _His thoughts were slow and hesitant. '_The reason she did that was because I…'_

"I…" he spoke out loud, his voice taking on a hint of amazement. "I didn't know that something like that was important to you."

"Well of course it is!" exclaimed Sakura, slamming her brush back down. She looked up at Kakashi who was still staring at the table, trying to make sense of everything. "You should have known that! I wouldn't have tried so hard all those years ago to get you to take off your mask if I didn't care! Geez!" She picked up the brush and looked at it as if it understood everything that she said. "You can be so ignorant sometimes…"

Kakashi watched as Sakura continued her cleaning. Her face still held her previous anger, but there was also a sense of peace around her as well. Kakashi slowly sat back down into the chair, crossing his arms in thought.

Through Sakura's logic, it had been his fault for the dinner. What he didn't get fully was how strong her reaction was. She should have known that he would have eaten at dinner. It was a pretty basic thought.

But how strongly she had told him of his "mistake," it made him think that perhaps things were not so cut and dry. And the way she seemed so depressed at the end of her rant…

"Why were you disappointed?"

Sakura stopped scrubbing the floor. She refused to face him, refused to move at all. Closing her eyes, she let out a heavy breath, trying to get rid of all of the built up frustration inside of her.

"Well…" she started out slowly, finally gathering up the courage to look back at Kakashi, "the day you showed your face… it was supposed to be special."

Kakashi's eyes widened at this and he coughed, suddenly feeling very awkward. He gazed at her lazily as he always did, but his body was tense.

"Oh? Why?"

"Well…" Why did it have to be special? Thinking back, she did always picture the moment he revealed his image would be slow and there would be music, and the lights would soften…

Sakura laughed nervously at her childish thoughts. Of course at the age of thirteen, things would always appear much more fanatical than they really were. At her current age, his mask didn't really look all that important, although no less mysterious.

She concluded that her reaction at dinner was left over from her childhood. Somewhere deep inside her was the wide eyed girl who looked at life though an innocent aspect. Although she had grown and matured, there was still a part of her that refused to grow up.

"Now that I think about it," said Sakura turning her attention back to the smelly, caked on mess that was the floor, "I don't know why I freaked out." She shrugged as she brushed, flicking her face to the side trying to get a stray hair out of her eye. "Just forget it."

Kakashi let out the breath he had been holding. He was slightly disappointed at her words. He had been expecting something more… flamboyant, than what she had said. However, he usually didn't know what to expect from Sakura, so he wasn't overly surprised.

Standing up, he walked towards the windows. Sakura, from under her lashes, watched him as he looked out to the sleeping town. The moon was high in the sky and it made the entire room glow white. Of course there was the small candle that fed light for Sakura as she washed, but it was nothing compared to the lunar beams drenching the large dinning room.

Kakashi's hair shone in the pale light, a stark difference from the darkness of the outline of his body. Sakura straightened slightly as Kakashi turned his face slightly towards her so she could see the edge of his eye. Sakura couldn't help but stare at the handsome view before her. The man's ever present jonin vest blocked off most of her curious gaze, but the muscles on his arms were outlined with silver light. Everything was shadowed to a point of beautiful mystery.

Sakura's breath hitched in her throat when she realized she was admiring her former sensei in such a way. Feeling the blood rise to her cheeks, she tried to pull her startled gaze away. Kakashi's movement towards her however kept her attention on him.

"So…" he started slowly, turning back towards her. His eye closed into a smile. "Did you like what you saw?"

Sakura blinked, her mind derailing.

Kakashi flinched as the brush collided with his head. He continued to smile, chucking nervously as he wiped the dirty suds away from his face. He knew he would piss Sakura off with such a question, but his resistance gave into the joy he received from an agitated Sakura.

"Pervert!"

Even if she had wanted to answer him, she couldn't have. Her initial shock practically erased anything she may have seen, her embarrassment far more important. She felt as if she could almost see him, looking at him through her anger filled eyes, without his mask. She could trace his shadowed jaw with her gaze and almost remember. But still… not much to go off of from there. She _wished _she could have remembered what he looked like, but that was for another day. She could waste her time with her irritation towards her former sensei.

* * *

Sakura peered around the corner, looking into the large kitchen. Kakashi was sitting at the bar counter enjoying a cup of tea. The numerous bottles of alcohol lining the shelves were not appealing so early in the morning. The ginseng tea that he had found had been able to spike his interest.

Now however, his eyes were turned to the green ones just barely showing from the other side of the wall. Turning back around on his stool, his sipped his drink. He wanted to see how everything was going to play out. It was always good to start off a day with a laugh.

Sakura's feet pattered against the black and white tiled floor after deeming the room to be Miyazaki free.

"Morning," she murmured, opening a cabinet and pulling out a jar of dried leaves and herbs. A cup of tea would soothe her beating heart. Why it was beating so fast, she didn't know. Most likely because Yuu, Yuriko, or any of them for that matter, could show up at any time.

Kakashi gave her a curt nod. "Morning." He turned his droopy eye gaze towards Sakura watching as she carefully placed a few of the tea leaves into the small lidded strainer. Snapping the spoon shaped instrument shut, she went over to the counter and poured herself some hot water into a ceramic glass. Twirling the spoon strainer in the cup, the water began to turn a pale yellow as the leaves began to turn the plain water into delicious tea.

"So," she started as she walked over to the silver haired man, sitting down beside him on another stool, "how's your day been so far?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow and looked out to the nearby window. Just barely, there was light in the sky. Still, the morning was dark, the moon still having control over the sky.

"There isn't much of a day yet." He turned his attention back to Sakura who was spinning the strainer in the cup. "But my day has been good so far."

"That's…good…"

Kakashi studied Sakura intently. There was something off with her. Of course ever since the dinner there had always been something wrong, but this… this was something entirely different and he wanted to know what was up. It is my duty as her friend, he thought.

"Is something wrong?"

Sakura looked up, startled.

"N-no!"

But looking at Kakashi and more specifically, the endless dark pools of his eye, made her answer completely useless. She quickly turned her face back to her cup before he could see her flushed face. She wished her tea was cold so she could try to put out the flames on her cheeks.

Yes there was something wrong with her. Would she admit it? Hell no. But that didn't mean she could ignore it, especially since she _knew _it had something to do with Kakashi. Since it did involve him however, it made her _want _to ignore the curling feeling in her chest.

"No, I'm fine," she lied as she twirled the strainer one last time before sipping the brew. "Perfectly fine."

Kakashi wasn't an idiot. He knew there was something wrong. His interest however wasn't going to go away until he figured out what was the matter. He reached out a hand to try and gently shake an answer from her, but her shoulder quickly inched its way from his grasp. Pulling back his hand, he tried to disregard the disappointment he felt.

"Sakura," he started, opting for words this time, "are you still angry at me?"

Sakura's eyes widened and she gave him a quick glance. "No, of course not." She smiled, laughing softly. "I know you were just kidding."

He nodded, never forgetting that he had been curious as to what she thought.

"Then, what's the matter?"

The pink haired kunoichi's soft smile dropped from her face, only replaced by an unsure gape of her mouth. Spinning back around on her stool, she took another sip of her tea.

"Nothing!" she assured, chuckling nervously and waving her hand in the air. "I am A OK!"

_I'm a liar!! AUGH! WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!_

Now Kakashi _knew_ there was something wrong. There was something up with Sakura and he was going to find out.

"Sakura…" His voice was stern and it made Sakura freeze in her forced laughter. Slowly turning her head, she gave him a nervous smile. "What is wrong?"

It wasn't a question, it was a demand. Sakura gulped, knowing all too well that she couldn't tell him she had been dreaming of him lately. She couldn't tell him that there might be the small chance of attraction towards him. No no, that would be foolish of her. So, she opted for silence. Biting her lip, she hoped the nervous fluttering in her stomach would disappear.

She stared up at him and he stared down at her. Neither of them knew at that moment, the other was thinking of the one before them in a manner that was forbidden and taboo. They weren't psychics; they were only human. But if they did have the ability to read minds, things would have grown increasingly out of hand.

Kakashi, as of late, was having dreams that consisted of him, Sakura, and very little amounts of clothing. Unfortunately for him, his mind was supplying him with naughty images with her in the skimpy garbs of his fantasies as she sat before him. They were thoughts that gave him quite a burden and he truly didn't know what to do with them.

The sound of swinging doors opening startled the two nins. Kakashi turned around and looked at Yuu who looked slightly disheveled. He had been in a middle of a yawn before he spotted Kakashi and Sakura sitting at the bar. He dropped his hand from his mouth and stared at both of them, his eyes narrowed.

Sakura paled. She could not face him. Not yet. Or perhaps, not ever. Yes, never seemed like a good idea.

The only warning of Sakura's quick departure was the screech of the wooden stool against the tile. Before Kakashi could blink, the pink haired woman was gone.

* * *

So Sakura played the game of hide and seek easily with the Miyazaki family. Her pride was still very fragile and would not be able to stand in front of one of the family. Luckily for her, Kakashi did most of the speaking while she spent most of her time with bookwork.

Sakura sighed as she stared down at the notebook that kept the rough draft of her report. Since she had nothing else to do with her time, she decided to start on what had occurred the last few weeks.

She tapped her pencil against the desk, biting her lip in thought. When nothing came to her, she growled out in frustration. Flinging the writing utensil onto the desk, she stood up and threw herself on the nearby bed. It bounced slightly as her full front hit the comforter, the cushioned landing briefly knocking her free of wind.

"What am I going to do?" groaned out Sakura into the mattress. Turning around on her back, she lay out spread eagle. She rubbed her healed arm, charka and patience leaving her with a normal limb.

Two weeks had passed since the dining disaster and during that time, she had done practically nothing. She talked to Kakashi on occasion, but he was always busy with trying to find more on the gang that threatened the Miyazaki family. Sakura, because of this, had been hardly stimulated and was afraid her brain was morphing into a mushy-like substance.

While she lay on the bed growing increasingly bored, she began to come to the depressing conclusion that she would have to face Yuu eventually. She could not evade him forever, even though the idea was tempting. Besides, she had a job to do and she couldn't do that if she refused to come in contact with them.

"The moment of truth." Sakura stood up, stretching out her muscles. "It's time for me to face up!" She couldn't be holed up in the room anymore. She had to go and beg for forgiveness. Afterwards, she could deal with any malice that was present. Then, she would be free to roam the mansion again.

Even though her mind was in the game, her body apparently was not. It refused to budge, leaving Sakura in an awkward conflict with herself. She sighed, hanging her head.

"Fantastic…"

There was a knock at the door, startling the jonin. She stood frozen and staring at the door. It has to be one of the family. Kakashi never knocks, she thought, worried.

_Oh man, what am I going to do?_

Sakura swallowed when there was another knock at the door. Silently groaning to herself, she forced her legs to move towards the door. Resting her hand on the doorknob, she slowly pulled the door open, her face downcast.

"Why hello, Sakura."

Sakura's shoulders tensed up at the familiar deep voice of Yuu. Sakura looked up from her lashes to see the older man looking down at her with a stern look. She managed a small smile even though it was a rather weak one.

"H-hello Yuu…"

Sakura felt extremely small in front of the man. She wanted to sink to the floor and curl up into a ball, away from the scorn she was bound to face. She did have to face him, of course, but that didn't mean she still didn't have to fear him.

Sakura clasped her hands together and bowed, bobbing up and down like a bath toy.

"I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to ruin dinner, or the table cloth or the floor!"

Even though she didn't mean to, she _did _do it. The result: a dip into the Miyazaki account and a dirtied son.

His face looked stern and unfeeling, the same face she saw during the dinner. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the torrent of anger to come down upon her.

"I deserve nothing less. I screwed up royally and I deserve punishment. It is the only just reward for the actions I caused!"

To her surprise, she was met by silence. Blinking in confusion, she straightened only to nearly smack noses with Yuu. She reeled back, holding a hand to her startled heart.

Yuu smiled at her. "Why don't we go down town for a bit?"

* * *

Sakura looked down into her teacup, unable to face her gaze towards Yuu. She knew the other man was watching her as he sipped his tea, but she still could not bear to look at him. It was uncomfortable enough sitting in his presence.

The tea was delicious to be sure. Yuu had put a lot of money on the counter for her single cup, much to her horror. She had tried to protest, but he gave her a smile that made her mouth clench up. So, she took the tea kindly, but was still very humiliated.

Yuu sipped his tea quietly and placed the cup back onto the small plate. Sakura watched as he did this and knew he was about to speak.

"You know," he started, crossing his arms across his chest, "there's no need to be embarrassed."

Sakura snorted and swirled the tea around in her cup.

"Coming from the man I made into a dinner tray." She sighed and placed the cup back onto the table. Looking up at him slowly, she let herself loosen up slightly. "I really am very sorry," she murmured, recalling the incident. The image of Kakashi burned into her mind and she groaned, grabbing onto her head. "Stupid Kakashi-sensei…"

"Oh?" Yuu cocked his head slightly to the side. Apparently there was a feud between the woman and the man. He was curious as to why. "You say it was Kakashi's fault?"

"Yes," Sakura nodded definitely. "He startled me, causing me to do what I did."

"How did he startle you?"

Sakura blinked, confused

_Wait. It's not like he would know why! He wasn't Kakashi-sensei's pupil._

"He took off his mask." She gestured towards her face. "He's worn that mask for the seven years I've known him and not once have I seen his face. When he was eating that night…" she let her eyes drift across the room. It really had been so sudden and nearly stunned her out of existence.

Yuu raised an eyebrow. _So, the reason for what happened… was because Kakashi took off his mask?_

"So, it was a really big deal for you then, to see his face?"

"Yes! Exactly!" Sakura slapped her hands on the table, the satisfaction of someone being able to understand how she felt. "He just goes and—and pulls off his mask like it's nothing!" Sakura leaned back into the chair, her mind and body relaxing in the presence of Yuu. The man seemed to make things much easier to handle than a certain someone.

"But," continued Sakura, shaking her head, "I suppose it _was _a bit of an over reaction. I think it's something left over from my childhood. At one point in my life, to be able to see Kakashi-sensei's face was something that only could exist in my fantasies. Now…" she opened her eyes again, shrugging. "I guess it was pretty childish of me. I'm sorry."

Yuu leaned back into his chair, finally understanding. It was clear that there was a bond forged between Kakashi and Sakura, but he didn't know how old it was. Seven years was a pretty big stretch and he could see why she would be so shocked at his sudden appearance.

Any previous anger he had managed to hold that one night towards her disappeared, leaving no trace. Instead, it latched itself onto his ideas of Kakashi and flourished easily on his hate towards the man. Yuu could easily blame Kakashi for his ruined clothes and pride, no problem.

Yuu smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

"I understand Sakura. And don't worry: you are forgiven. In all reality," he chuckled softly to himself, making Sakura's eyes widen slightly, "it was very funny. Our house hardly ever is filled with laughter. That night after you bolted out of the dinning room…" he shook his head, the chuckles growing, "Let's just say father was far beyond amused."

Sakura chuckled nervously, finding the prospect of being a moment of physical humor an awkward one. She scratched at the back of her head, a hesitant smile on her lips.

"I'm glad I could help then."

"Yes, but next time," he pinned her down with a bright green eye, making her flush, "make sure I'm not wearing antique robes."

Sakura blushed an even deeper red, her head sinking into her shoulders. Of _course _they had to be antique. Anything less would be wrong.

"Right…"

* * *

Atsushi was busy signing away at numerous scrolls. His quill scratched rapidly against the paper as it moved, the feather shinning against the light. After scrawling his quick signature, he would shift the paper to the side before signing off something else.

This gave Kakashi no time to look through his office for any sign of the gang. He hadn't even had a name yet! So, he "guarded" Atsushi as he worked, standing in the far corner of the room, reading _Icha Icha Violence.  
_

Kakashi spared a glance in Atsushi's direction, watching him work furiously. The pile of scrolls beside him that need to be finalized was gigantic compared to the pathetic pile of completed papers. Kakashi dug his nose back into his book deeming porn to be much more exciting than watching an older man write his name over and over.

Things had been rather droll the last few weeks. Kakashi, on more than one occasion, had wanted to leave the manor and go down into the city to _finally _find a woman suitable enough to keep him company. However, Atsushi had been feeling rather nervous and had ordered Kakashi to stay within the lands of his home.

Kakashi was not used to being tied down in one spot for such a long period of time. Even then as he stood reading, he itched to head into town. The walls and the paintings lining them were quickly growing boring. The halls had been searched thoroughly already and there wasn't one room he didn't look for any sign of the mob.

At least, he thought to himself, looking out at the nearby window, Sakura isn't going anywhere. I know it will be a while yet before she gets the courage to—

There was the opening and closing of a door in the distance. Kakashi's eyes looked up slowly, his hooded gaze blocking off all signs of curiosity that might be there. Pushing himself off the wall, he began to walk towards the door, interested at who had entered or left the manor.

"Where are you going?"

Kakashi stopped and turned his head, his hitai-ate and mask blocking any part of his face.

"I'm going down to see who left."

Atsushi swished his hand in the air, his eyes still glued to his papers as he ran his quill quickly across the sheets.

"Don't worry; it was probably Yuu and Sakura." He gestured towards Kakashi to come back into the room. Kakashi, however, was not about to move quite yet. "My son came in earlier today, telling me he was going to go speak with the woman about the dinner. He's probably patched things up from that night, which is good. It's about time Sakura start earning her keep here."

Kakashi wasn't quite sure how to respond to Sakura finally leaving the manor. While a part of him was happy she had finally gotten out and about, the other part of him wanted to march down to the city and rip her away from Yuu. However, the logical part of Kakashi deemed the second action a rather foolish one. Willingly, the other part had to agree.

_I have no reason to be jealous_, he reprimanded himself. _She can do whatever she likes. I'm not here to pin her down._

Even though his mind was telling him this, his body disagreed. Slowly, he made his way to the window and looked out towards the path that led up to the large, front double doors. Sure enough, he could see the familiar pink hair of Sakura and the long black hair of Yuu making their way down the winding cobbled road towards the city.

Kakashi felt a sort of sluggish feeling fall upon him as he watched the two disappear. Not only was he never going to be able to have Sakura, he was going to have to watch someone else take her.

Kakashi turned away and forced himself to read _Icha Icha Violence. _He was not in the mood to face such feelings. He had had enough of them the past few weeks and wasn't about to have them anymore.

* * *

Yuu spent the rest of the day showing Sakura around Unon. Wherever they went, there were always the respectful bows of the people and the wandering eyes of the women. Sakura suppressed chuckles as Yuu passed the lust-filled gazes of the woman without even bating an eye. She looked up at him, his emotionless face hiding everything that was his personality.

"Yuu," she started, watching as they passed yet another drooling girl, "do you not see all the attention you're getting?"

Yuu scoffed and rolled his eyes. "All they want is my money," he murmured. "That's how all my previous relationships have ended."

A frown crossed his features. Sakura believed it was because he was recalling a bad memory.

"Goldiggers, huh? That's unfortunate." Sakura shook her head. "I hate people like that."

Sakura had the mind not to speak of a certain red head that reminded her of such a status as 'Goldigger'. Things had settled between her and him and she didn't need anymore conflict.

Instead, she said, "So, you've never had a lasting relationship?"

"No." Yuu appeared just as stern as ever, but Sakura could hear the anger and disappointment in his voice. "I've been in love before, but never did they…"

He trailed off, giving Sakura the cue to drop the subject. Instead, she watched the ground pass by as they walked. The female nin could feel the tenseness in Yuu's body and felt guilty for being the one to give it to him.

Sakura hadn't meant to put him in such a depressing mood, but she had done it anyway. She couldn't figure out how she could possibly bring so much negativity to one person. It was rather sad really.

Yuu came to halt beside her, causing Sakura to stumble as she stopped. She looked up to see anger burning in his green gaze. Following his eyes, she spotted Yuriko fanning herself and laughing alongside another man who was obviously enjoying the attention. Yuu frowned and practically ran towards the couple, Sakura hot on his heels.

When the red head spotted her black haired brother storming towards them, she paled. Quickly shooing the man away, she clasped her hands in front of her and smiled sweetly, trying to appear innocent.

"Why hello big brother! How are--"

When she spotted Sakura from behind Yuu, her smile twisted into that of pleasurable scorn.

"And hello Sakura." Sweet venom dripped from her pearly whites as Sakura stopped beside Yuu. "Finally left the sanctuary of your room after your little… accident, I see. Funny," she put her finger to her lip in mock thought, "I figured you would have left by now after making a complete fool of yourself."

Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly, but she still held reign on her anger. She was not going to be made a fool of by an over inflated ego such as Yuriko's.

"Well," she said softly, a sweet smile on her lips, "Yuu offered to take me out, so how could I resist?"

Yuu watched the scene unfold before him, his previous anger towards Yuriko put on hold. Now was the time to see how Sakura reacted to his evil sister's prying and prodding. If things grew out of hand, he'd be there to pull them apart. For now, he would observe.

Yuriko frowned, giving her brother a deadly glare, one that he ignored easily. Gaining composure, she crossed her arms, smirking at Sakura.

"Probably feels sorry for you after your stupid little stunt. I know I was."

Yuriko wanted that cool and composed expression that belonged to the older woman to break and shatter. She would use all she knew and possessed to do so. When she did, Kakashi would see what kind of woman Sakura really was and he would be hers.

"You know," she said, her grin growing wider, teeth flashing in the light, "Kaka-kun was laughing pretty hard at your blunder. The things he said…"

Sakura's widened gaze told Yuriko she had found the ninja's weak spot. She pushed harder, the bubbling feeling of victory lapping at her stomach.

"Sounded like he was disappointed in you Sakura. Said he had never seen anything like it."

"You're lying," Sakura growled, her fists clenching. "Kakashi-sensei would never say anything like that." At least, she hoped he would never say anything like that. Assuring herself over and over, she told herself that he would never say such things. Still, she would bring it up later.

"Oh, I'm not lying," assured Yuriko, shaking her head. "I was right there when he said it." Her eyes flashed, the jealousy towards Sakura fueling her cruel words. "How does it feel to be the object of Kaka-kun's disappointment? I'd feel pretty disgusted with myself."

Sakura's teeth gnashed together, her fists curling into tight balls of restrained fury.

"Shut up," she growled. Her anger was split in two: one half towards the vain red-head , the other to the silver-haired man who had possibly mocked her. Either way, her rage was quickly growing out of hand.

"How silly you looked, how stupid you acted. Kaka-kun and I shared some enjoyable laughter together."

"_Shut up_…"

Yuu could feel the tension rise. The things his sister were saying were far beyond the respectable line. He looked over with slight nervousness at Sakura who was shaking.

"What I don't get," said Yuriko, shaking her head, "is why he still stays with you. Of course…" she smiled sweetly, her eyes flashing, "after your little stunt, he won't stay with you long. And when that happens, I'll be there to take him away from you."

Sakura's eyes were narrowed, her teeth bared. Her calm complexion was far from being salvaged. Her nails dug so tightly into the flesh of her palms, small drops of blood began to drip down her skin.

"You--"

"You don't deserve him, Sakura." Yuriko ran a manicured hand down her body, flicking her fingers away as they move away from her thigh. "Kaka-kun needs a woman who can pleasure him and bring him honor. You," she pointed an accusing finger at Sakura, causing the pink-haired woman to fall back slightly, "are nothing but a disgrace. And look at you!"

She gestured mockingly towards Sakura's attire. Dirty shoes, worn shorts, fishnet shirt and gray jacket. Her hair was slightly messy, only being combed through with Sakura's fingers at the last minute. A very unexciting body, her muscles the only things giving her shape.

"You look like a man." She scoffed and flicked her long, luscious, scarlet locks. "Sweaty, plain and flat. Kaka-kun can only have the _best._ Look at me for example." She gestured towards her body. "I am the object of many male desires. I am perfection. I have money, I have beauty. That is all a man needs and you my dear…" She smirked. "…have none of it.

"So you see, my dearest Sakura, you are nothing to him. I suggest you leave and crawl back to whatever hole you came out of. Kaka-kun is all our family needs to protect us. We don't need an inept tomboy such as yourself. So go," she shooed her away with her hand, turning away from the shocked and defeated girl, "go and leave. Kaka-kun will be fine with me. I'm sure he'll enjoy all the attention he'll get with me on his arm."

There was a deadly silence between them. Yuu couldn't believe the words his sister had said. Yuriko had been rather awful before, but the things she did that time were far beyond anything she had ever done. It was clear that the jealousy and spite his sister had was far beyond anything he could comprehend.

He tensed and stared at Sakura whose expression was hidden under a veil of pink hair. He did however notice the small line of blood on her hand and the shaking of her shoulders. He took a hesitant step forward, unsure of Sakura's current state.

"Sakura…?"

It was quiet at first, but Yuu immediately recognized the laughter that began to bubble up from Sakura. Yuriko turned her head slowly, staring at horror towards the nin who was out right having hysterics.

The red-head felt Sakura's joy leap at her like fire, burning her pride. She whipped around, screeching, "What's so funny?"

"You!" exclaimed Sakura, straightening and crossing her arms. Sakura had been pissed off before, but when she realized the only reason why Yuriko was saying such things was because she was jealous of her. It was a rather ridiculous reason to act out in such a manner and it reminded Sakura that she was the bigger person between them.

Oh yes, she had been very close to knocking the girl's block off. In fact, the moment she said she was going to "take him away" from her, she was ready to kill. But the childishness around it all brought her back to her senses and revealed to her just how low Yuriko would go to get her way.

What she would have to figure out later was how easily Yuriko had led her down such a path of senselessness. Unfortunately for her, she already had a feeling as to how she had done it. She would cross that bridge when she had to. Now her attention was all on the furious heiress.

"Me?!" Yuriko was NOT pleased at the reaction she had drawn from Sakura. Usually when she attacked people with her words, they crumbled before her. This… this pink haired disaster was proving to be an opponent far too much for her. It made her scared and at the same time, enraged.

"Yes, _you_." Sakura shook her head, smiling at her self discovery. "You are so childish Yuriko. I can't believe you're eighteen and still have the attitude of a thirteen - year old. In fact," she tapped her chin in thought, "you remind me of me from a long time ago, albeit not as nasty as you."

Yuriko sputtered with anger as Sakura continued. She was obviously enjoying herself as it was her turn to teach Yuriko the meaning of humility.

"Are you so low you have to result to such nasty words? Really Yuriko, I expected more from such a respected family name as Miyazaki."

When Yuu heard that, he felt a small swell of pride from within and another not so foreign feeling. At least Sakura can see the honor of my family. Yuriko cannot see beyond her own satisfactions and this other woman can, a person I have barely known. How is this?

Sakura was far from done. She was going to put Yuriko in her place that day and no one was going to have a say in it.

"It's time you grow up, little girl."

Yurkio's mouth dropped, never being addressed in such a way. Sakura didn't care; people who didn't show respect didn't deserve any.

"Yes, I admit I am more masculine than you. And yes, you are a rather attractive woman. But let me tell you something - one day you are going to grow old. You will grow fatter," she pointed towards her stomach which was tied tightly with her pink obi to try and hide any excess fat, "you _will_ get wrinkles, and your hair _will_ thin."

At each word, Yuriko's hands flew up to the appropriate parts of her body. Horror shone in her eyes when she realized that Sakura held no lies in her words. Looking up, she watched Sakura approach her, her arms crossed. Yuriko's teeth were bared, her anger clearly evident.

Sakura felt a sense of finality wash over them. Things were winding down and after everything was said and done, the day would end. Before the sun went down, she would speak to Kakashi about the day's events. But when she slept, she would know that Yuriko would not be bothering her again.

"You can't live behind your looks forever, Yuriko. You must have a head on your shoulders and a mind that calls for respect. If you base your life entirely on aesthetics, believe me _you _are truly the fool."

Yuriko stared, shocked at Sakura who stood cool and triumphant before her. The woman had won, leaving her with less than a shred of dignity. She swallowed, her breath coming heavier when she realized that people had been watching. A hot blush stained her cheeks, her humility obvious to all those around them.

Sakura smirked, satisfied that Yuriko had learned a valuable lesson that day: never look into the mouth of a lion, you'll surely get eaten.

Yuriko's red lips twisted down into a glower. Never before had she been so shamed. Now, she had experienced it to a full degree and by an insignificant tomboy such as Sakura. Rage flamed full force within her, her ability to hold her emotions in check far from Sakura's expertise.

_No one makes a fool of me! I am Miyazaki Yuriko! I am perfection! No one belittles me and gets away with it!_

Yuriko was far from settling. The look on Sakura's face, the look of victory, caused her muscles to tense and her brow to knit together tightly. Digging her toes into the ground, she struck.

"You little _bitch!_"

Yuriko flew forward, far faster than Yuu could ever react. Sakura had just enough time to manage a small gasp before being pummeled into the ground. The young lady kicked, bit, scratched and screamed her fury. Sakura, taken off guard, brought her hands up to her face and protected herself from the other girl's sharp nails from digging into her eyes. Dimly she was aware that she could easily snap the woman in two, but it would be a foolish decision. She could not attack back, not when the girl attacking her was her charge. That was just plain dumb. So, she lay on the ground as Yuriko blindly beat against her, biding her time until the girl got tired.

Or until Yuu intervened.

With a strong arm, the man tore Yuriko away from Sakura. His sister still continued to try and fly at Sakura who was slowly sitting up off the ground. Yuriko's fists flew and her feet kicked as Yuu still held onto her, his strong arms wrapping tightly around her.

"Yuriko!" When he did not get a response, he shook her. She jostled around, removing her from her crazed haze. Blinking, she stared up dumbly at Yuu who was scowling down at her with shame. Yuriko recoiled and violently ripped herself from his grasp. Gasping, she stood disheveled and dirtied. Her hair was a tangled mess and her makeup was smeared slightly. Her dress was covered in dirt and torn slightly on the edge. If one were to take notice to her hands, one could see Sakura's skin and blood underneath her nails.

Sakura stood up coolly, ignoring the stinging pain that was her face, neck, and arms. People stared in stark amazement at the numerous scratches that lined her body, each one given to her by the poisonous heiress that was Miyazaki Yuriko. Sakura stared down at Yuriko who was still panting with an indifferent gaze. She stepped forward, glaring.

"And now we see… who is the bigger person here. And you, my dear, have some issues to work out. Luckily for you I heal easily."

Sakura actually gave her arm a quick look over. The small scratches on her arm weren't too bad, they just stung. With small amusement, she eyed the crescent mark of Yuriko's teeth on her skin. Shaking her head, she smiled down at Yuriko, triumphant.

"I think it's time you go home, young lady."

"Yes," agreed Yuu suddenly, making Yuriko jump and whip her head around to face him. "I'm almost positive father will want to hear of your actions today Yuriko."

Yuriko paled, her eyes widening. She heard Sakura move next to her, her fright too strong for her to be angry at the woman. "If you don't mind Yuu, I think I'm going to go straight up to my room to clean up. I don't want any of these wounds to get infected."

Yuu nodded, his cheeks taking on a pink hue as the embarrassment of his sister's actions became fully apparent to him by the numerous wounds on her body.

"Yes, you go and do that. I'll make sure she gets home."

Sakura nodded in acknowledgment. Without giving Yuriko another glance, she left the grounds. As she left, she could hear Yuriko screeching at the people around her. If she were to look back, she would see Yuu restraining his sister from attacking a man in the crowd who had laughed at her.

Sakura sighed, shaking her head. "Damn that woman's crazy…"

* * *

Kakashi was enjoying a nice bowl of strawberries when he heard the doors to the kitchen swing open. Quickly pulling his mask back up, he looked to see a disheveled Sakura cross the kitchen and straight to the sink. The numerous scratches along her arms and face gave him immediate cause for concern.

"What happened to you?"

Sakura chuckled slightly, shaking her head. Turning on the tap, she winced slightly as the lukewarm water ran down her skin, rinsing her cuts free of bacteria.

"Your little girlfriend happened, that's what."

"My… Yuriko?" Kakashi was already out of his seat and next to Sakura, leaning against the counter and watching her movements. He pointed, amusement in his voice. "Yuriko did that to you?"

Sakura nodded, softly running her hands along her arms. The wounds were trivial and they wouldn't leave scars, but there were many of them. They would be a minor annoyance for a few days.

"You should have seen her Kakashi-sensei. I swear she's not right in the head."

Seeing the many abrasions on Sakura's pale skin supported her theory full heartedly. Anyone who could do that much damage to one person had to have some issues. What he wanted to know, however, was why Yuriko had done it. There must have been a light somewhere to start the fuse.

"Sakura, what did you say to her?"

"It wasn't me, it was her." Sakura seemed angry, her hands rubbing faster along her skin. However, her voice and expression were tired, something he decided she did not notice. "Brainless girl went too far with her words. I don't take kindly to insults."

"Insults?" Kakashi tried not to seem too concerned with her words, but even Sakura couldn't miss the softened hush of his word.

She shrugged lazily, the water on her arms soothing away the stinging pain. Now that Kakashi was obviously affected by her trouble, she wanted to make sure that he thought she found it to be no problem.

"Yeah, just a bunch of empty words really. That's what I said to her, in essence, and it set her off."

Kakashi was not satisfied with this answer. If it truly had been no problem, Sakura would have simply walked away from the situation. However, she had done the opposite.

"Tell me the truth: what did she say that upset you?"

"I already told you," said Sakura, slightly perturbed that Kakashi had caught on so quickly through her lie, "it wasn't much. It's fine so don't worry over it."

"Sakura, you can't expect me to drop this now can you? Look at you."

He gestured towards her arms, ones that if she removed them from the water, they would begin to sting again.

"Yuriko said something that upset you. That in turn made you respond in some way, causing Yuriko to fly into a craze. Now, I want to know what took place."

Why Kakashi had to be as smart as he was, she didn't know. What she did know however was that she was expected to give him an answer then and there. That was a problem that was going to prove to be much bigger than it sounded.

Usually Sakura would brush him off with an easy, "None of your business." However, the many scratches littered across her body were something that could not be easily ignored. She was going to have to explain with much more detail as to how they came to be.

She gulped, forcing her gaze away from his dark one, dumbly watching the water fall across her skin. The water was growing cold, but she didn't care. It gave her something else to pay attention to.

"Well…" Her voice was gruff, her mind still refusing to admit the close call she had to losing her temper. "She had said that you had been disappointed with me at the dinner, telling me that you said you had "never seen anything like it." I suppose that's where it all started."

Kakashi was _mildly _surprised that he was the spark of the conflict. While he took a sort of male satisfaction with knowing that Sakura cared enough about him to get in a fight over him, he also felt guilty. He should have known that Yuriko would try and play a card like that. Even though he had not known her long, he could see the evil cunning behind the red-head's eyes.

"Continue."

Sakura breathed easier, his reaction much better than expected. She had thought he would have recoiled when he found out she had nearly lost her temper over him. She imagined him pushing her away, calling her a childish girl.

But he hadn't. In fact, he had been so relaxed Sakura began rambling, the afternoon's events something she couldn't keep bottled up forever.

"So she's saying that you're disappointed in me and I'm getting really angry, but I keep telling myself that you would never do something like that. Then again, you don't say too much so how would I know what you would and wouldn't say. So anyway, she kept saying all this crap about how I was a failure to you and how she would be disgusted with herself for being so low to you. She keeps spewing all this smoke, all the while I'm fuming because she just doesn't know when to stop.

"Then," she breathed, chuckling as she rubbed dumbly into her arms furiously as if to try and erase the cuts away from her memory, "Oh ho, then she has the audacity to say that I'm pretty much nothing compared to her. She goes on, telling me that you don't deserve "a tomboy" like me and what not. All she keeps telling me is that you are only fit for a beauty such as herself and you only deserve the highest!"

A smug grin decorated her lips as she reminisced. Yuriko's expression, the way her walls crumbled…

What joy it had brought.

"Just before I went to drive her into the ground, I realized that she was nothing more than a childish woman who had yet to grow up. I told her that she was basically going to shrivel like a grape in the sun and that she wouldn't amount to anything in her life if she kept acting like she does. But then…"

Sakura took a deep breath in, lungs crying for air. She had talked without stopping, something she hadn't done in a long time. She didn't care though. All that mattered was that she got everything off her chest. Still, Sakura looked down at her arms, pouting slightly.

"Well, you see how nicely she responded."

"Clearly," agreed Kakashi, an unseen smile tugging at his lips "but did you have to be so brutal?"

"I wasn't being brutal," stated Sakura before splashing water on her face, "I was being truthful."

Well, she had him there.

"Next time, make sure you pick your words wisely. There are people in this world that can't handle the truth, however obvious it is."

"No duh," grumbled Sakura, the stinging on her face igniting her previous anger towards Yuriko. "I just hope that she leaves me alone. I don't think I can handle much more from her. She's horrible Kakashi-sensei. I still don't know why you went with her."

"Sakura, I didn't do anything with her," assured Kakashi, agitated that she had thought he had gone so far with the heiress. Still, he kept his laid-back style in place, not wanting to give anything away. "Besides, I didn't know what kind of woman she was, so don't jump to any conclusions."

Sakura snorted, patting her face dry with a washcloth from a nearby drawer. "I may not know you too well, but I know you are a man. Men only want one thing in life and I know you can't resist such urges. It's pretty clear how susceptible you are, reading _Icha Icha _books all the time."

If Sakura had only known how right she was. Yes, Kakashi was not immune. Hell, he even lusted towards the pink-haired nin at that moment. He was not however about to tell her that. Such words would promptly crush what pride he had.

He decided that since Sakura had returned and was able to go about the manor without hiding behind closed doors, he would go down to the city. Atsushi had said it was time for her to pull her own weight and he had been on duty for quite a while. Besides, he had his own thing to take care of, a task that desperately needed to be completed.

"I'm guessing you'll be fine," said Kakashi, pushing himself off the counter, "so I'm going to go into town."

"What are you going to do?" asked Sakura, squeezing the water out from her bangs.

She turned a curious eye at him, her jade orb grabbing his dark one.

It was a simple question, one that most people could answer. Kakashi, however, found it much more difficult than it had to be. He turned his gaze away from hers and walked towards the swinging doors.

"I… need some time out is all. I've been cooped up here for far too long. It's about time I take a break."

"A break?" Sakura folded the washcloth over the rim of the sink and walked up to Kakashi, a smile on her lips. "I could use a break. Come on, we'll go and get a drink. I saw this place that seemed pretty nice and I bet we could--"

"No, Sakura."

Sakura's sentence was cut short. She looked up, confused. "What do you mean no?"

"You aren't going."

"What?" She stepped backward, the hurt already beginning to sting. "Why?"

Things were quiet. Sakura waited for an answer, one that she hoped would stop her stinging heart. He offered no solution, his refusal to speak something Sakura found hard to accept. But his tired gaze, his stooped shoulders…it was all she needed to know to realize what he was going to do. The reason why he didn't want her to go…

If the hurt was not visible before, it was now. Sakura turned around before he could see the tears beginning to form at the corner of her eyes. Angrily, she squeezed her eyes shut, refusing any physical sadness to show. No way would she ever cry over him. No, she wouldn't do that. She wasn't that weak or pathetic.

_He can do what he wants,_ her thoughts whispered angrily_. It's not like I would have a say in anything he does anyway. It's not like I…_

"Alright." Her voice was steady, her body tense. "I get it. Besides," she chuckled softly, unnoticed scorn laced in her laughter, "I did say you couldn't resist such urges."

She turned, a smile plastered on her face. It was so perfect, so beautifully etched, no one could know how utterly fake it was. Kakashi saw her smile and suddenly felt very heavy looking at it. It looked so sweet and forgiving… he felt disgusted with himself.

"Go on," she urged, shooing her hands towards the door. "Go and have fun. Heaven knows you deserve it."

Kakashi couldn't move, even after Sakura had given him the OK. For a split second, he outright refused to leave her. Within that second, he could also see what true emotions lay behind her mask.

But it was only a second, nothing more. Few things of great importance could happen in such short amount of time. Sure, in fictional romance and fantasies, but this was real life. There was no 'happy ever after' in such a world, only reality. And reality was a cruel mistress.

Kakashi looked to the ground, unable to gaze upon her beautiful façade much longer.

Turning slowly, he murmured, "I probably won't be back until tomorrow."

His words stung more than they should have. She gulped, feeling the blood leave her face and curdle in her stomach.

"Right," she managed, her breathing shallow. She clenched her hands, trying to focus on the pain of her fingernails digging into her palms. "I'll be sure to tell Atsushi."

Kakashi was at the swinging doors, his hand resting against the polished wood. Why he felt so guilty, he had no idea. He just wished it would go away.

_Besides,_ he reassured himself_, I'm doing this for our friendship. I'm doing this so that we can continue to function together. Then again, why do I feel so bad?_

Perhaps it was the stale atmosphere around them, or maybe the guarded look that was around Sakura. Maybe, just maybe, he was making things much worse than they needed to be.

"Later."

Sakura watched Kakashi push his way past the swinging doors, the wood clacking together slightly as they went back and forth. Quickly she turned away from the exit, not wanting to look at it much longer.

Sakura sat down where Kakashi had been. The bowl of strawberries he had been eating still lay on the counter, the red fresh fruit tempting to the palette. Sakura sadly picked up the piece of fruit by the green leaves, spinning it around in her fingers.

"Relax Sakura," she murmured to herself, taking a bite out of the fruit. It truly was delicious, in fact one of the most delectable things she had eaten in her life. It could not make up for the nasty feeling in her stomach though. Still, she took another bite, then another until she had eaten the rest of the strawberries in the bowl.

Sakura tossed the remains of the sixth strawberry into the small porcelain dish and slowly sank her head to the counter. What was she going to do? It was pretty apparent that there was some sort of emotion towards Kakashi, but what was it? At that moment it could have been thousands of things. Hate, sorrow, displeasure, disgust, jealousy, longing…

Sakura growled out in frustration, angry tears beginning to form. Furiously, she wiped them away.

"Damn him." She clutched at her chest, finding it hard to breathe when she thought about him with another woman. She could see them, laughing together, smiling, kissing...

Sakura looked out through the window, the warm sky signaling the end of the day. She would be stuck with her ugly thoughts for the rest of the night, unable to do anything about it. She sighed shakily, running her hand through her hair. Her eyes were beginning to tear again so she closed them.

"God, it's going to be a long night."

"Is something the matter?"

Sakura looked up startled at Yuu who was standing in the doorway. Quickly she composed herself, drawing her mask back up and forcing a small smile on her lips. Even as she did this though, she knew it was a fruitless endeavor to try and hide from Yuu.

"You're back," she said, watching him draw closer. "I didn't even hear you come."

"I've been home for a while," he said, sitting down next to her. "I had to take care of the matter involving my sister. Father was not pleased. I don't think she'll be doing very much the next few weeks. Father said…"

She could see he was already in his night clothes. With a pair of flannel pants and a black t-shirt he looked oddly out of place. Usually he wore his more elegant attire, but the things he wore now were something anyone would wear.

Sakura realized she was looking him over and completely ignoring what Yuu was saying. Shaking herself, she listened in.

"…won't be bothering you again." He sighed, shaking his head. "I feel so ashamed to be her brother. It brings disgrace to me and my entire family."

"It's alright," responded Sakura, assuring Yuu of his forgiveness. "I've already forgotten about it. Just as long as she can keep her head, I'm fine."

Yuu gave a small smile, one that Sakura thoroughly enjoyed. But his smile soon faded, one replaced by a concerned frown. Sakura immediately pulled back her happiness, realizing that he knew about her dark thoughts.

"If I may ask," he started out slowly, not wanting for the kunoichi to close him off, "what has put you in such a gloomy mood?"

Sakura looked down at the counter, tracing her finger along the jagged patterns in the polished granite.

"Nothing," she murmured, her words weak and unconvincing.

"I may not have known you for long, but I can see a lie quite easily. I'd be happy to listen if you would tell me." Yuu stood up and moved behind the bar counter to the glass cabinet behind. He pulled out a bottle of rather expensive brandy. Pouring the clear drink into two crystal glasses, Sakura immediately felt relief. Hopefully she would be able to get rid of her negative thoughts with a few drinks.

Handing her a glass, he said, "So, what's on your mind?"

Sakura sipped the drink, a distinct taste of plum dancing across her taste buds. Not to mention the pleasing warmth of the alcohol. Sakura sighed, looking up at Yuu defeated.

"I'm having trouble with Kakashi-sensei."

Yuu tried to hide the bitterness he felt when she had told him Kakashi was the source of her problems. Pulling up another stool, he sat on the other side of the counter, giving him a direct view of Sakura's face.

"Kakashi, hm? What did he do?"

"I…I don't know." Sakura put her elbow on the counter, leaning her head into her hand. "I just know that he's the source of my angst. What's more, I don't think he's doing it intentionally."

"Tell me what happened."

Sakura looked up at Yuu. His attention was all on her, his thoughts and mind focused on her. It had been a while since she had felt so involved with somebody. Kakashi was always behind a shield of indifference she could never try to speak to him. Every time she did try, things only worsened her confusion and frustration.

Now, with all of her thoughts and dreams she could never hope to tell him anything. She was stuck with her problem, unable to speak to anyone.

All but Yuu.

So she told him, or at least she told him of that day's events. Of course she didn't reveal her deepest most intimate thoughts, but she did tell him of her cold feeling when she realized he had left her for the bed of a woman.

"I suppose I shouldn't be so angry," she mumbled, sipping at her second drink. "It's not like I'm his girlfriend or whatever." She waved the words away, their foolishness contaminating the air. "He can do whatever he wants to be sure. But I still feel so…" she grasped for words, eyes widening. "_Abandoned._" Shutting her green orbs, she sighed in depression. "I don't know what I'm going to do."

Yuu topped off his glass, his mind having problems trying to focus on the jealousy he felt towards Kakashi. He couldn't understand why such an intelligent and beautiful woman such as Sakura would try and spend her time with him. It was apparent that Kakashi was ignorant to her true potential, the way he brushed her off so easily clear evidence. It made him wonder if the jounin would ever wise up.

"From my point of view," started Yuu, bringing Sakura to attention, "you shouldn't be wasting your time with him. It's clear that you can't confide with him and it's obvious he is not a person that has your best intentions at heart. He can't even see what pain you are in Sakura."

"I know," agreed Sakura, "but he's always been like that. Even when I was twelve years old he was always as frustrating as he is today. But then he has these moments when…" her eyes softened. She smiled, closing her eyes. "He has these moments when you just know he understands. It may seem like he is ignorant to the world, but he isn't. He understands and listens. He's there for you when you truly need it. I… I think he's one of the few people in this world that I would trust with my life."

"Then why," Yuu replied, bringing Sakura's happy moment to an end, "is it he left you? You said that he's there when you need him to be. Why didn't he stay when you were in pain?" He drank from his glass, his jealousy urging him forward in his dispute.

Sakura's eyes widened and she sunk her head into her shoulders. Also, she thought with depression, the day when I truly needed him most, the day of my first A ranked mission… he had been so indifferent, so unfeeling.

"I just don't get it," she whispered, shaking her head. "When I was younger, he was always there for me and my friends. He always seemed to know what the problem was. But now he's so ignorant. I just don't get it."

Yuu could easily guess what the problem was, but he wasn't going to tell Sakura. _Besides_, he thought, _it's better if she didn't know. It makes everyone's life much easier. _

"Things change over time, Sakura," said Yuu, his voice deep.

Sakura looked up into his eyes, green meeting with green. He gave a small smile, solidifying her gaze.

"While I'm not saying you should stop being friends with him, I am saying that your sole intentions should not be with him. There are many other people in this world that are far more worthy of your most important thoughts. Someone who cannot see you and your true potential cannot ever prove to be more than what they should."

Sakura felt a sort of ease fall upon her shoulders. There was wisdom behind his words, bringing order to her chaotic mind. Yes, yes she could begin to understand. Perhaps she could begin to peel her attachment towards Kakashi away. Then she could begin to exist comfortably.

The darkness in the kitchen was suddenly very apparent. Sakura stood up, Yuu watching her as she moved towards the ceiling to floor window. The dark of the night was beautiful, the stars very clear in the sky. The warmth of the city lights told her that the night was still very much alive. Briefly, she wondered if Kakashi was enjoying himself.

She smiled, realizing that she did not feel the sharp pain in her chest when she thought of him. There was still a dull throb, but that was far more easy to tolerate.

_At least_, she thought happily, _I can accept what things are. Besides, all I need from him is his friendship, nothing more. If I know I have that, I don't need anything else in this world._

There was a shifting behind her and Yuu was next to her. He was incredibly close, her body heating up a few notches at the little space between them.

"I hope I have been of help," he murmured, looking down at her. She could feel her cheeks begin to redden at how sweet his gaze was. It was pure kindness and understanding, something Sakura wished for desperately from a certain _silver-haired_ man.

Sakura turned her gaze away from his, allowing herself to breathe again.

"You have helped me, Yuu. You helped me in a way no one else could."

He did help, more than he could imagine. He was able to get her to relax and release all of the pent up frustration within her. He was an outlet for her muddled thoughts and she was extremely thankful. However, all of those thoughts and realizations… they made her fearful of what was the future.

She knew that what she wanted, she could never have. Yuriko had been clear about this. Her words had burned much deeper than it appeared. The reason… they were the truth. Sakura would never be good enough for a man like Kakashi. While he was strong and cunning, she was just a pathetic little girl who would never live up to his standards.

Sakura felt very tired, the day's events catching up with her. Not only was she going to have to face rather complicated thoughts, she was going to have to accept the fact that there were some things in life that were never going to come true.

She turned away from Yuu and feigned a yawn. "I think it's time for me to go to bed." She stretched her arms, smiling as she did so. "Thanks for the drink and the talk Yuu. I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow."

Yuu nodded, a strange expression on his face. "Are you sure you will be alright?"

Sakura smiled weakly. "Yes, I'll be fine." It was a big fat lie though. She wondered if she would be able to find any sleep that night. Nothing was going right in her world at that point and frankly she just wanted to escape it all.

_Stop the world, I want to get off!!_

Strong arms wrapped around her, hugging her tight. Sakura froze, unable to move at the sudden action.

"Don't worry so much," said Yuu, pulling away from his quick embrace. "So much anxiety does not do a person good."

Sakura nodded dumbly, caught off guard by the act of kindness. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to squeeze away the uncomfortable feeling she had just experienced. Not only that, her cheeks were already on fire.

"So, you will not worry so much then?"

"Y-yeah…" Sakura turned around, not wanting to look at the black-haired man any longer. His friendly attitude made her somehow feel guilty. Why, she had no idea.

"Goodnight then."

"'Night."

Sakura turned around and inclined her head slightly. She quickly skittered through the kitchen. Pushing the swinging doors open, she fanned herself when she was out of sight. Putting the back of her hands to her cheeks, she quietly berated herself.

"Don't be getting any thoughts now, Sakura!" Was she already on the rebound? She hoped she wasn't. Then again, Yuu wasn't such a bad person. He _was _the only one to listen to her. That, and he also helped solve many of her problems.

"We'll just wait and see," she whispered to herself before quietly making her way back to her room. The halls were dark and silent, almost ominous. Everyone in the large house was asleep, all the lights off except for the small candlelight from the kitchen. The hall however was not lit and Sakura made her way carefully as to not run into any sudden obstacles. After a while her vision adjusted to the darkness and she continued without much trouble.

As she walked down the halls, she caught the familiar sight of Kakashi's room. Coming to a stop, she could not ignore the throbbing in her chest now that she was so closely reminded of her former sensei.

She found herself slowly opening the door, doing her best to be quiet. Immediately, his forest smell enveloped her senses, almost making her knees buckle. Sadness along with happiness was churning within herself, making her feel utterly confused. Slowly shuffling her sock covered feet across the polished wood floor, she made her way to his bed. Pulling back the thick comforter, she slid underneath the sheets. Burying her face into his pillow, all she could think about was him. His looks, his words, his personality, his ability to make her feel so divine…

She fell asleep to his image, a smile across her lips. She dreamt of him, making her sleep all the more peaceful.

* * *

"Well?"

The figure looked to the ground, their face shadowed. "It's… not going to work."

"Make it work. We need to get rid of them. They're going to ruin all that we have built."

"But, what about him? He's already falling for her!"

"Convince him otherwise," growled the man, a large silver ring flashing on his index finger. "Show him that she's not worth it."

"He never listens to me!" hissed the figure, eyes narrowing. "And I don't think he'll want to talk to me in a long time!"

"Are you forgetting what is at stake?"

The figure looked to the ground, shoulders sagging. "…No."

"Then I suggest you figure something out. Now, get out of here. You're wasting my time."

The figure bowed and hurriedly left the room, aching to get away from the dark figure. Death was already gleaming in his eyes and they didn't want to be the one to feel the full force of his anger.

--


	9. The Garden and The Gardener

A/N: This chapter would have been up sooner, but it wouldn't let me upload it ! Ah well, life goes on. Here's chapter nine!

--

Sakura woke up sweating, the dream she had experienced far too much for her to handle. It was so vivid and raw with sexual power it caused her to shiver. She buried her face into her pillow, trying to dry the wetness of her skin.

"Oh god, what am I going to do?" Her words were muffled in the pillow and would make no sense to anyone listening in. "I can't possibly talk to him, not after…not after yesterday."

Why her dreams consisted of only Kakashi, she refused to acknowledge. Heaven knew that the stupid jonin didn't deserve such thoughts. He was a mere crush, a silly thought that would disappear. That was it. That was all he was. Or at least, that was what Sakura kept telling herself as she sat up and wiped her brow. But even her inner argument sounded half-hearted. It wouldn't convince anyone, let alone her.

She sat on the edge of the bed and put her head in her hands. Even though she had slept for more then ten hours, she was still tired. Her dreams consisted of only her former sensei and by god it made her feel tired just to recall the vivid images of him and all that he was.

Damn Kakashi for being the man he was. He had to go and be so nice and caring, didn't he? He did it just to make her life horrible and confusing as if it was his only goal in life. Why did he have to be so cruel?

Taking a deep breath, she let herself fall backwards on the bed. She stared up into its white canopy and past that into space. Sakura knew that no matter which way she looked at it, she was going to have to accept the fact that when it came to Kakashi now, things were going to be difficult. Things weren't so cut and dry anymore. He wasn't her sensei and at this point, she was imagining him being more than the friend he was.

However tempting the thought was, she absolutely _refused _for it to grow into anything else. When it came to such things, she wouldn't let thoughts like that grow into anything more than just idle fantasies. Not when she knew that her thoughts wouldn't be returned in favor…

Sakura closed her eyes. She felt like crying. Her feelings, if she ever decided to bring them to life, would never be returned. She was just a silly little girl with a stupid crush. And that was what it would always be.

Sakura got out of bed finally, forcing herself to get ready for the day. As she worked past her muddled thoughts, she began to plan her day. She knew that she needed to do a little investigating. Lately, she had been slacking in her duty and hadn't been looking out for the ever elusive gang. She had picked up a few hints here and there, but none of them were worth remembering.

After that…who knew what she was going to do? She had nothing else planned. Usually, she would hang out with Kakashi and talk about nothing in particular. Now though, something as simple as holding a conversation with him would be no less than awkward and uncomfortable. She would try to avoid him as much as possible until her stupid crush went away. It would be better in the long run and it would save their friendship which had been so hard to salvage.

When Sakura made to leave the room, she couldn't help but to snoop through Kakashi's wardrobe. She was not surprised to see identical outfits hanging in his closet. It was as if he used a jutsu to create exact replicas of his jonin uniform. What did surprise her were the rather comfortable looking pajamas that were folded neatly in a drawer. Sakura was half temped to wear those instead of her street clothes. But alas, if she was going to leave the manor that day, she couldn't be walking around in sleepwear. So, dejected, she left the room.

She was surprised, almost startled, to see Yuu standing outside of her room, waiting patiently for her to answer a door she could not. She stood and crossed her arms, watching with amusement as he knocked on the door again. He looked impatient and almost anxious as he waited for her. But what amazed her most was that he was not in his formal robes. He looked almost normal in just a regular green t-shirt and jeans, but it threw him out of place. Sakura almost wished that he would put on all of those layers of expensive clothing and do up his hair in a tight queue. Yuu wasn't supposed to look so regular!

"While I admire your persistence, you won't find me in there." Sakura smiled and stepped forward, chuckling slightly.

Yuu was startled more than he was used to. He whipped around and gave her a look that should have gone to a demon. But when he realized that she was, in fact, not a demon, he relaxed and gave her a small smile.

"Trying to give me a heart attack then?" He was teasing, something else that did not fit his character. It made Sakura unnerved and frankly, she didn't like it one bit.

"I was just curious as to how you would react," she said, doing well to mask her unease around him. "I guess you aren't usually snuk up on then, huh?"

"That obvious?" Yuu shrugged, defeated. "I suppose I must have looked funny, didn't I?"

"Oh, not too bad. But…" she raised an eyebrow, curious. "What were you doing knocking on my door anyway?"

"And what were you doing out of your room?" asked Yuu in rebuttal.

Sakura scoffed and turned up her nose.

"What? Are your workers not allowed to wander a little?" But Sakura was obviously dodging the question and Yuu knew it. He stayed firm in his question and Sakura eventually gave into him.

"Oh alright." She sighed in exasperation and hung her arms. "I stayed the night in another room. There, you satisfied?"

Actually, Yuu wasn't satisfied. His brow creased and Sakura could see the hint of a frown on his face.

"But there are no free rooms. Where could you have possibly stayed unless…" He let the sentence hang in the air, polite enough not to finish his train of thought.

Sakura's cheeks flared up at his implications. She waved her hands in front of her in defense, shaking her back and forth so quickly, she made herself dizzy.

"No, no! I didn't sleep with anyone, I _swear!_" She pointed down the hallway to a door that was visible only a few yards away. "I slept in Kakashi's room. Or rather, I fell asleep there after wandering in last night. And he wasn't there as you well know--"

"Wait, so he's not your teacher?"

Sakura's words dropped from her mouth in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you called him Kakashi," he said, doing his best to hide his displeasure. "He's your sensei, correct?"

Sakura blinked, trying to digest his words. Yes, she did just drop Kakashi's title. And the world didn't shudder and spit into halves. So then, why did she think that this was such a big thing?

Then she remembered once upon a time, she told a certain silver haired shinobi the reason why she called him sensei was because she thought of him as her teacher. And now?

"He's never been my teacher," she said softly, "and I don't think he has been for a long time."

So, he wasn't her teacher and he was beyond a friend. So then, what was he?

_Simple: A headache. _

"So," said Sakura, already feeling tired again, "what were you doing at my door?" She looked to the young heir who was apparently lost in thought, his brow creased. She asked again and he looked up, slightly startled.

"Oh. Um…" He cleared his throat and mumbled something under his breath. Sakura couldn't make out a single word he said, but when he moved out of the way of the door, she figured it was something along the lines of "I'll let you in you in your room now."

"You need to speak your intentions a little louder," said Sakura as she passed the man to get into her room. "I can't understand you when you're speaking into your neck."

Yuu chuckled, but Sakura could tell it was just to be polite. He moved behind her and shut the door as she made her way to her armoire to pick out some clothes for the day. But even as she began to shift through different shirts, when she heard the click of the door closing, she couldn't help but feel a sense of anxiety wash over her. Quietly she spoke angrily to herself, saying that Yuu wouldn't do anything to harm her. But then why was she so nervous?

"Well," said Sakura, pleased she was able to mask the shakiness of her voice, "are you going to tell me why you are in my room watching me get dressed for the day?"

She peered over her shoulder and watched with silent laughter a red blush spread across his high, pale, cheekbones. He turned around quickly and cleared his throat again. Sakura sensed the nervousness of Yuu and it made her feel better and less uneasy.

"I was wondering…" said Yuu finally still staring at the opposite wall, trying to find the words to continue. Sakura continued to pick out which pair of shorts she would be wearing that day, waiting patiently for him to finish speaking.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering," he started again, a little clearer this time, "if you would join me today in my errands. I have to go into town and speak with a few merchants. Afterwards is the festive dinner in town square." He spoke lightly now, almost in a daze as he recalled the dinner. "It's a wonderful feast filled with music and dance. It's one of the few times in the year where adults and children dance together and everything isn't so tightly ran. I go every year, but this year…" He trailed off, waiting for Sakura to say something.

The woman had stopped searching for something to wear and was holding what she had in her hands softly. Sakura's heart was beating fast, not at all ignorant to what Yuu was asking her. However, she just wanted him to quiet and leave her alone.

"I'm not into festivals, really." But that was a lie. She loved festivals and tried to go to one whenever she could.

"Oh."

Sakura cringed at the dejected tone she heard in that single word. Without thought or consent, she said quickly, "but I'm willing to make an exception!"

The moment she said it, she wanted to bang her head against the armoire doors. To try and escape his eager and hopeful expression she moved behind the rice paper folding wall to hide her as she prepared to dress.

"So, then you will join me today?"

"Yes." Sakura bit her tongue and buried her face into the bundle of clothes in her arms. _What is wrong with you girl?_ She was lonely, bored, and suffered from heartache. Of course she would go with him, but she couldn't help but feel the sense of betrayal.

"Then I will wait outside for you to finish up then. Take your time and I'll meet you at the front door. Alright?"

"Alright." Sakura was still standing behind the paper sheet, clutching her clothes to her chest as she tried to make sense of her conflicted thoughts. Even when the door opened and shut, signaling Yuu's departure, Sakura still didn't move.

"Look at me," she murmured, smirking scathingly at her hands full of clothing. "Look at what's happening to you. You're becoming depressed and you're clashing with yourself! You can't let him get to you and let him take you over!"

She was failing though on all counts and was in threat of losing the entire battle. She needed to clear her mind, or at least distract it until she gathered up the courage to speak to Kakashi. Or Kakashi spoke to her. Either way, facing her feelings at that point in time wasn't going to happen. Hopefully, spending a day with Yuu might help her. But even as that plan began to form, she grew sick and the old feeling of betrayal began to creep into her heart.

Sakura turned slowly to look out of the window across the room. Light streamed in from the clean glass and began to warm the soft carpet. Sakura slowly walked over to the windowpane and dropping her clothes, she used her free hands to open the windows. A gust of crisp clean air hit her face and she closed her eyes, letting her mind drift like the afternoon wind. Opening her eyes just a crack, she looked into the blue sky. The day looked bright and held promise of good weather, something to rejoice about amongst the people of Unon. Now their festival would not be interrupted with rain or gray skies.

Briefly, Sakura wondered if Kakashi knew about the celebration. And when she thought about Kakashi, she thought about many other things: where he was, what he was thinking, if he had a good night, if he was thinking about her just as she was thinking about him. She hoped she was in his thoughts, even if it was just a passing one.

Sakura breathed in the air once more, clearing her mind of chaos and insuring peace. In that breath, she smelled fresh flowers. They were sweet and alive and it made a small smile cross her features. She loved gardens and it had been a while since she had seen one. They always brought peace to her mind and made life seem all the more pleasant. Whenever she needed to figure things out, she could always count on a field of flowers to make thoughts all the more understandable.

And the manor's garden was in full bloom…

An idea hit Sakura and with it came childlike excitement. She didn't even bother shutting the window as she ran out of her room and down the hallway. Why didn't she think about it before? The solution to her boy problem lied within the flowers!

Her bare feet padded across the floor as she skidded around a corner. She nearly lost her balance and collided into a servant but she continued onward, not at all noticing hearing the grumbles of the older woman. Turning once again, she reached the stairs and grabbed hold of the railing. Her feet moved so fast down the steps, it sounded like rain. Jumping of the final step, she landed in front of a startled Yuu waiting down at the main entrance.

Sakura stopped, breathing heavily. She rested herself, barely hearing Yuu speaking.

"Sakura, you aren't dressed! You can't possibly want to leave in that state!"

She shook her head, smiling. "I can't join you on your errands, not yet at least!"

Yuu looked down at her, puzzled. "Can't join me? Why?"

Sakura laughed, eyes shinning. "Because I need to see the garden!"

Yuu didn't have time to speak before Sakura was back up the stairs and around the corner.

First she would change into something a little more comfortable, and then she would indulge herself to the garden. And even though Yuu waited for her, she did not care. All that mattered was the flowers.

Sakura ran back up the stairs and down the hallway, once again nearly sending the old cleaning lady to the ground as she rounded another corner. Her destination was Kakashi's bedroom and once she was inside, she was eager to put on his pajamas. She pulled open his closet and quickly grabbed the closest shirt, a large navy blue tee. She pulled her older shirt up over her face, not at all seeing Yuu entering the room for answers.

"What in the world are you doing--"

Yuu didn't finish, the sight of Sakura's naked torso causing momentary surprise, then hot embarrassment. Sakura finally pulled her old shirt over her head and looked to see Yuu standing in the doorway, staring with a slack mouth. It took Sakura a few seconds to piece together the situation, and a few seconds more to promptly push Yuu out of the room and slam the door in his face.

"Can't you knock?" she yelled at him, a light blush of anger touching her cheeks. Quickly, she grabbed the bigger shirt from up off of the floor and pulled it over her head quickly. "Really! I know this is your house, but do you just barge into any room you please?"

There was a muffled, "Sorry!" from the other side of the door followed by other words of forgiveness, ones that were so quickly strung together, Sakura couldn't make out a single thing he was saying. She didn't care anyways as to what he said.

Instead, she continued to dress, putting on a pair of baggy flannel pajama bottoms. They were warm and extremely soft, but much too big on her slender hips. She tied up the string on the waist as tightly as she could and tugged a bit to see if they would stay. Unfortunately they slid down a little but if she didn't do any serious running, she would be free of embarrassment. Besides, she was comfortable and that was all that mattered.

Yuu was still spurting out apologies but it was by this time that Sakura didn't care anymore. She pulled open the door and listened as Yuu continued to rant, completely oblivious that she was standing and watching him.

"…just that I was worried and I wanted to see why you were running! I didn't know that…"

He trailed off, finally noticing Sakura was standing in the doorway, patiently waiting for him to stop speaking. He was surprised only a little to see her change of clothing, but instead he lowered his eyes and bowed deeply.

"I am extremely sorry for walking in on you during your moment of… changing." He fumbled at the last part and Sakura had to bite off a small fit of laughter. Yuu was obviously having difficulty speaking about the situation and Sakura didn't want to leave him too long in his suffering.

"It's alright," she said, shrugging. "Besides, it's not like you meant it. Now if you'll excuse me--"

"So that's it?" Yuu straightened, startled and confused. "You forgive me like that, with a simple shrug? I saw your—I mean you…!"

"Do you _want _me to make a big deal about it?" asked Sakura, raising an eyebrow. "Because I can if you want it that badly. I am in a good mood, but I can make an exception."

"No!" said Yuu quickly, shaking his head. "No that fine. It's just… I'm more used to punishment for stupid mistakes such as walking in on you. My family doesn't forgive so easily and it's… uncomfortable, knowing I can walk away from this without penalty."

Sakura was caught off guard and silenced. _Family doesn't forgive so easily? That's something I wouldn't want. A family's forgiveness should come easily. To face punishment even over simple accidents… _

Sakura, to her astonishment, realized that she was a hypocrite. Here she was, preaching to herself about forgiveness while she herself refused such a thing for Kakashi. It had taken her a few months to get over what he had done. She couldn't possibly speak of forgiveness!

"Alright," said Sakura, pinching her brow, feeling a headache coming on. "Here is your punishment: you must wait for me while I relax in the garden. While you wait, you will make me something to eat. I like pancakes with plum jam. Now," she pushed him out of the doorway, not at all noticing the dumbfounded look on Yuu's face. "I am leaving. I expect a nice brunch. Goodbye."

And with that, Sakura left, leaving a very confused man who hadn't touched a pan in his life.

* * *

The moment Sakura's feet touched the soft grass of the garden, a sense of release washed over her. She was in a world of understanding and peace and nothing was going to ruin that. Not the weather, not the gardener making his rounds, not anything. So Sakura continued forward, taking in the sights.

All around her were vibrant colors not unlike those of a rainbow. There were tall sunflowers, clusters of many different irises, flourishing bushes of bleeding hearts and honeysuckles. There were roses and forget-me-nots and other flowers she had no idea existed. The smells were exquisite and mingled together making a perfume that could never be recreated by any man.

Sakura padded softly over to a lilac bush. The closer she got, the stronger the smell became. It was heavenly and it fit perfectly with the beautiful petals of the flower. She leaned down and breathed in softly the natural scent of the plant, sighting with content.

"You like the garden?"

Sakura turned slowly towards the gardener. He was still watering the flowers, not at all stopping even when he asked her the question. He was an old man well into his years and looked like he had worked a hard life. But within his clouded eyes did she see that he was a man of wisdom and personal peace. It was no wonder that the garden thrived under his care.

"I love it," said Sakura softly, once again turning to the lilacs and breathing in the aroma. "I must say, this is probably the most beautiful garden I have ever seen. It's so well cared for and all of the plants look so healthy and vibrant. You must be very proud."

"I am," replied the gardener, a small smile dancing across his lips. He ran the head of the watering pail over the flowers, being careful not to pour too fast, not wanting to hurt the petals. The flowers moved slightly as the life bringing water fell upon them, the dew giving the appearance that the plants were covered in hundreds of diamonds. Sakura was mesmerized and couldn't help but stare.

"I pour my life into this garden," said the gardener, moving to a different section of the garden. "I make sure that my heart is in every task that I do. And I don't favor one plant over another. I make sure that everything gets the same amount of care and attention as everything else. That way, the plants don't grow jealous of one another and they grow together in harmony."

Sakura followed quietly, not paying attention to her surroundings, but to the man. Birds were singing sweet songs and there were butterflies, but all that Sakura cared for was the words of the gardener.

"You seem to know a lot about peace." Sakura was standing beside him now, watching him in his work. "I wish to know peace as well."

"Something troubling you?" he asked, his voice inquiring.

Sakura nodded, suddenly feeling depressed. "Yes, something is. And it lays heavily on me, sometimes to the point where I lose my head and I don't know what I am going to do anymore."

She was surprised by laughter and was startled when the old man pushed the watering kettle into her hands. Water sloshed around inside, some of it tipping onto her shirt and arms. The gardener didn't seem to notice and gestured towards the red and orange chrysanthemums.

"I find that working in my garden, even when doing a trivial task such as watering, calms my stormy soul. I think you, my dear, wouldn't hurt to have that. Even now I can see the conflict that is churning in your heart. You can feel it now, can't you?"

Sakura nodded and looked down into the pail in her hands. Yes, she could feel it. She just wished it would go away. Perhaps if she watered, it might help.

"Careful now when you pour. You don't want to bruise or drown them."

The gardener showed her the proper way to hold the watering pail so that she wouldn't hurt her wrist over a long period of time. He also showed her what too much water was and what was too little. The most important thing though was that Sakura was slowly beginning to drift away from her turbulent emotions and floated down a sense of quiet.

"If you would like," said the gardener, watching Sakura as she worked, "I would be happy to listen to whatever you want to say. I'm a good listener."

Sakura smiled and nodded, but just like the gardener, she continued to water.

"Well," she began softly, almost hesitant, "as you said, my trouble lies within my heart. Or more specifically, a man."

"Aahh…" The gardener closed his eyes and rubbed his chin. "The mysteries of the heart can be some of the greatest in this world. And yours seems to be one of those great mysteries. Tell me, child, why does this man cause you so much grief?"

"I really don't know," sighed Sakura. "In fact, I really don't know when the problem began. But we've known each other for a very long time. It was only recently when we've become closer. I don't even know what that means though. I mean, he used to be so indifferent, but in an ignorant sort of way…"

"Child," soothed the gardener, setting a steady hand on her shoulder, "your stress is returning. Look, you're drowning my flowers. Now, let's start again and this time, from the very beginning. Sometimes it helps to remember the old times."

_The old times… _Yes, the old times were fun and they held many good memories. Memories of a golden haired boy with a foolish yet courageous attitude, a silver haired man who even though read porn was one of the strongest and wisest of nin, and a black haired boy who had been the first one to steal her heart and tear it away…

"The beginning…" The watering began again, but this time, the trickle was light and soothing. "Yes, the beginning. Well, I met him when I was twelve years old…"

And so she told the gardener, a man she had only known for fifteen minutes, her life story. She told him of Team Seven, all of the adventures she had gone through with them. She told him of the exams and she told him of the enemies. She spoke of her family and friends and she even talked about her first kiss.

Mostly, she spoke of Kakashi. She talked about his personality, what he did for a living, what his hobbies were. Both shared laughter when she spoke of his addiction to _Icha Icha. _For every bad thing she said about him though, she always added a reason why it was like that, as if she was battling against his bad traits.

She continued to talk about him and all that he was and what she thought about him. She left out the dreams she had been having, but she talked to him about how badly hurt she was when he had left her. And that led to older pain.

"When was the first time he had hurt you?" asked the gardener.

"That's easy," said Sakura. "My first jonin mission. I was so scared and nervous and that pig headed pervert didn't even give me a hug! But I went on anyways and I did my mission…" When the topic changed to her first jonin mission, she stopped.

The watering halted abruptly and the gardener sensed Sakura's unease. He laid a hand on her shoulder and she suddenly looked at him. Her eyes were filled with fear and anger all at the same time, an unhealthy combination.

"I think," he said slowly, taking the watering pail from her hands, "we should finish the rest of this conversation at the picnic table. Come…"

Sakura nodded shakily and let herself be led blindly to a cozy and cool area of the garden suited for refreshing lunch even on the hottest of days. A large oak tree gave shade and the flowers nearby gave happy atmosphere. It calmed Sakura, if only a little, but when she was finally sat down at the wood table did she let herself breathe again.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, shaking her head. "It's just…" she shuddered and gulped as if she was suddenly taken over by sickness. "It's just I don't like talking about my mission. So many things…"

"Let yourself face it," said the gardener, grabbing her hands and squeezing them as tight as his weathered hands could. "You mustn't hide from your memories. They are apart of you and you must accept them as if they were pieces of your spirit."

"But it's so hard!" whispered Sakura, shaking.

The memories had come so quickly, so sudden, it was a horrible thing to experience. But if she were to face it, could it somehow help her with her troubles?

"You can do it," reassured the gardener, smiling. "I know you can."

Sakura looked up at the man who had helped her so greatly out of the blue. She could trust him, almost more than anyone else she trusted. If he said she could do it, then she could. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, overcome by memories.

_Great, my first day on the road and it's raining. I can barely see anything let alone my client. Where the hell is that guy anyway? He said he would be near this location… _

A campsite.

_"You can wire the money to my account, if that's alright with you. I mean, after the fourth month is up." _

_"Of course it's fine. You _did _save my life." _

Raining senbon.

_"They spoke to you as if you were their family friend! What else are you hiding from me, huh? Tell me now Vighan or I swear to god I will leave right now, money or no!" _

_"I'm not hiding anything from you Sakura! What do I have to do to prove it to you?!" _

A promise.

_"Don't leave yet, Sakura. I need you now more than ever. They're still after me and I don't know what to do." _

_"Vighan, I've been here three times the time I'm supposed to be. It's been a year since I've been home. I really need to leave. Please, just wire the money to the account…" _

_"They're going to kill me!" _

A battle…

_I'm bleeding… Huh, kind of light headed. But wait… Vighan? Vighan, what are you doing? And why are you shaking hands with that man? Vighan, can't you hear me? Vighan! _

A promise broken.

_"I will see you again Sakura, this much I am sure. As promised, you will have your money. Now I must go…" _

_"You…you lied to me…" _

_"…Yes. But I did it for you Sakura and only you." _

_"You killed… hundreds of people. You and that… that pitiful excuse for a man are doing illegal trade of weapons! You're trying to start a war god dammit!" _

_"It's for the good of the world and its people. I am just lucky enough to be a small part in this great revolution. And once it comes to be, I will come and find you and we can be together." _

_"Fuck you,Vighan. You've lost your god damn mind. I'm going to report you, you bastard!" _

_"You can't report me, my flower. You don't have any evidence. All you have is the word of a novice jonin. Not to mention you were slipping in and out of consciousness when you witnessed it all. No one, not even Tsunade, can believe you without some sort of physical evidence." _

_"No, they'll believe me!" _

_"No they won't and you know it. So just sleep, Sakura. Sleep and everything will be back to the way it was…" _

"No!"

Sakura's eyes shot up and then she was crying, sobbing into the wood table. The gardener was soothing her gently, cooing soft nothings to her as she cried. Her suppressed memories had hit her hard, but it was nothing she couldn't handle after a few more tears. Sniffing, she wiped away the rest of them.

"Are you alright?" asked the gardener.

"Yes," replied Sakura softly. "I am. And you were right. Facing my memories did help me. Even though it didn't help with my heart, it did help with my soul. I… I think that doing this, facing my past, helped to give me strength to face my other problems." She smiled softly.

"Thank you."

"You are quite welcome my child. Although, I was only here to encourage you. You did everything that you needed all with your own power."

"Still, you played a great role and for that I am grateful…" Sakura's eyes widened suddenly and she began to laugh. The gardener was puzzled and he asked why she was laughing.

"You do all of this stuff for me, I tell you my life story, and I don't even know your name!" At that, both of them laughed at how funny the whole situation was. Once both had held their share of laughter, the gardener spoke.

"You may call me Grandpa. That's what everybody else calls me around here."

"Then you can call me Sakura…. Grandpa." It sounded almost natural calling him that and it made her feel even more comfortable in the garden.

There was a sudden smell on the air, one that didn't match with the garden. Sniffing a few times, Sakura said confusedly, "There aren't any plum trees in the garden."

"No," said Grandpa, "but what about pancakes?"

Sakura turned and saw with hardly controlled humor Yuu carefully balancing a tray of pancakes, jam, and tea. He looked serious (which added to the hilariousness of the scene), just like the first time Sakura had seen him, but she guessed it was because of the large woman bustling behind him.

"What took you so long?" teased Sakura, standing up to help Yuu with his heavy load.

"Well," said Yuu, thankful that Sakura had taken off the fine china, "I had to learn how to cook before I made you your pancakes. You didn't give me a chance to speak about my cooking deficiency before you left. If it wasn't for Aiko," he gestured to the woman behind him, "your pancakes would have probably turned out looking and tasting more like charcoal."

"The young lord when through so many eggs, I'm afraid the hens will have to lay overtime to make up for all of the lost ones." Aiko gave a reprimanding look at Yuu who did his best to appear indifferent. He failed miserably and Sakura finally gave into her laughter. At that, everyone was laughing.

"Well," said Sakura, wiping a tear from her eye, "the pancakes look fine, the jam looks delicious, and I am starved. I think you've done your duties well, Yuu."

"I thank you kindly," said Yuu, bowing low. Aiko huffed and rolled her eyes. With a swing of her hips, she bumped Yuu on the rear end and sent him flying into Sakura. The two shared an awkward moment with his face rather close to sensitive areas on her body and the teasing remarks from Aiko.

"For as long as I have been powdering your diapers, I have never seen you so flirtatious!" She watched Yuu straighten himself as quickly (and as best) as he could.

He tried to look cold and angry, but it was clear that he wasn't going to convince anyone of anything when it came to his mismatched family. Yuu couldn't hide his emotions even if he wanted to.

"Well, I'll let you enjoy your brunch then," said Aiko, turning back to the manor. "You can leave the dishes out here. I'll come and pick them up when you're done."

"I'd better be going as well," said Grandpa, standing up slowly. "But before I go… Sakura?"

Sakura turned at the mention of her voice. "Grandpa?"

"Come over here. I would like to give you one last piece of advice." He gestured her towards the far side of the picnic area, out of earshot. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he looked her straight in the eye and spoke.

"Don't feel obligated to like someone," said Grandpa, "even if the one that loves you loves you without conditions. You listen to your heart and what it says and nothing else." He shook her a little for good measure. "Alright?"

Sakura nodded, albeit a little confused. But when she saw his eyes sneak over to land on Yuu, she knew exactly what he was talking about. And that was the advice she needed. She hugged him quickly, taking him by surprise, before pulling away and waving goodbye as she walked back to the picnic table. Grandpa waved back and left, chuckling to himself as we walked away.

"What did he tell you?" said Yuu, already sitting down and waiting patiently for Sakura to come.

Sakura sat and began to serve herself, prompting Yuu to start serving himself as well.

"Oh, just a little parting advice is all," said Sakura, smearing on a tablespoon of plum jam onto her pancake. Cutting out a piece of her pancake, she took a bite and moaned. "Yummy."

Yuu looked pleased at her reaction and grew even more pleased when he himself took a bite. The two continued eating, enjoying each other's company. Light conversation floated over the table, some of it involving the festival. Sakura was surprised to hear that costumes were popular at the dinner and that she should wear one.

"I don't have a costume to wear," said Sakura, sipping her tea. And it was true. She didn't have anything to wear. What was she supposed to do about it?

"All you need is a simple dress and the most important thing, a mask. We can get those when we go into town."

"Ah…" Sakura pulled her teacup away from her lips and set it down nervously. "I don't think shopping is in order."

"Why not? I'm sure you have plenty of money."

"That's not it. You see, Kakashi has the money and you're fully aware that I am not really in the mood in facing him yet."

"Well," said Yuu, "that is a small problem. A problem though, that is easily remedied."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How might my problem be fixed oh mighty lord?"

"I shall buy you your costume."

"Nuh uh," said Sakura, shaking her head. "No, you will not do shopping for me. I hate being in debt."

"This is not a debt," said Yuu smiling. He leaned in closer and rested his hand on hers. "This is a gift."

Sakura looked down at his hand practically engulfing hers. She seemed almost hypnotized at the contact. Sakura looked up to question him, but he had already drawn close and was coming even closer.

"Uh…" was all that escape from her mouth along with a small squeak when he finally stopped and was just inches away from her. He was looking at her intensely almost to the point where she thought he was reading her mind. But if he had been reading her mind, he would have heard of the words that Grandpa had spoken. Sakura was not about to ignore his advice.

"Yuu," she laughed lightly, pulling away slightly, "as much as I admire the smell of plum on your breath, I've had enough, thanks." But to make sure she didn't hurt him, she landed a kiss on his forehead before standing up and smoothing out her pajamas.

"Well," she said, shielding her eyes as she looked up into the bright sky, "I think it's time that I get ready for the day, hm?" She turned to Yuu who was looking at her with the most peculiar look. She didn't dare guess what was going through his mind.

"Yes," he said finally, standing up as well. "It's time that we get going. Heaven knows that the merchants are angry enough as it is."

He walked up next to her and offered her his arm, a gesture done out of sheer manners. Sakura took his arm gratefully and the two slowly made their way out of the garden.

As they left, so did Sakura's confusion. Really, the trip into the garden had done wonders to her emotions. She truly felt like she could face what was in her heart now. Well, once she got over her anger. But hopefully that would be fixed too and perhaps things wouldn't be so complicated.

Sakura looked beyond the garden and looked at the rooftops of the city that were just barely visible.

_What are you up to Kakashi? Is your day going as good as mine? _She snorted to herself, rolling her eyes. _Of course you're having a good time. That was your intention all along, wasn't it?_

* * *

Kakashi had a major problem.

Not only was Sakura in his thoughts, she was all that he could think about. What was worse, during their lovemaking, he had called out for the green eyed kunoichi, not the other woman.

Oh_ man_, did he have a major problem.

The question now was what was he going to do about it? And if he was going to do anything, when would he fess up to the truth behind his thoughts about her?

If he had a choice, never.

Kakashi ignored the brunette beside him mumbling incoherent dreams. She had only served to worsen things. But he had no right to be angry at her and immediately he felt foolish for it. He even murmured an apology, even though the woman was still asleep. Still, it made him feel a little better.

Kakashi knew he had to head back to the manor sooner or later if he wanted to keep his job. He sat up and immediately felt the brunt of his hangover.

_Damn alcohol, tempting me with its demonic desires. _

He slowly got out of her bed and began to put his clothes back on. He didn't stop even when his lover slowly sat up and looked at him through blurry eyes.

"Where are you going?" she managed, her voice dry.

Kakashi kept his eyes averted, his partner undressed. He didn't know what would happen if he continued to stare at her. He already had problems that he had to take care of, he didn't need anymore.

"I'm leaving," he said simply, shoving his foot into his shoe. "I have business to take care of."

"When are you coming back?" she asked innocently, a small smile across her lips.

Kakashi bit back a sigh. Turning his gaze to hers, he made sure he had her pinned before he answered her.

"I won't be coming back."

No once could miss the visible flinch of her body. Her eyes lowering to the sheets, she fell silent, not able to meet his eyes any longer. Bringing the sheets closer to her body, she nodded pathetically.

"Right…"

Kakashi had been through this routine many times before. Each time, it got a little easier, but the guilt later on was always bigger. What was worse, his little outing only served to worsen his thoughts about Sakura. Overall, it had been a fruitless endeavor.

Shrugging on his vest, he gave one last look around the room to see if he had forgotten anything. Deeming all of his belongings to be on his person, he exited the room, not sparing another glance towards the forgotten woman. It may have seemed cold, and it may have seemed wrong, but it was for the best. Both had known in the beginning neither of them would see each other past the next day. Their reunion was only meant to serve one purpose and that was a single night of pleasure. Unfortunately for Kakashi, that "single night of pleasure" had turned around and bit him on the ass.

Things like that usually did.

Walking down the road, he began to gather his bearings. He had no clue what path he had taken the previous night, the shots he had drank far too much for normal thought. Trying to look for familiar landmarks, he spotted the grocer. Knowing that the store was located on the main road, he made his way towards the street. The main road if followed up would lead to the manor, the main point in Unon.

As he walked, he realized that it was well into the afternoon and the city was thrumming with activity. The sunlight burning his sensitive eyes and the chaotic sounds of merchants bargaining with shoppers drumming in his ears was proof enough. His discomfort was the sacrifice he had to make for the drinks the previous night. At the time, it seemed like something he could easily give up, but as he walked he wasn't so sure. He would easily pick an angry Sakura over his raging headache.

When he first spotted the manor, he came to the sick realization that he was going to have to confront Sakura upon his return. He was no fool; he had seen her discomfort when he left. What was worse, his little outing did not serve the purpose he wished it to serve! Yes, it had been fun and yes it had felt great. But he was still fantasizing about a certain pink haired jonin and it wouldn't go away!

Briefly, he wondered if it would be better if he stayed in the city for another night, just to be cautious. However, whatever decisions he made of late had been wrong ones. He began to wonder if it would be best to clear things through with Sakura before he made any move to do anything. But he didn't want to face her, not yet. Not now when he was oh so unstable in his thoughts and she was oh so angry with him and his actions.

No, he wouldn't run away. He would face her like a man should. He would be brave and go up against the stormy personality that was Sakura's.

_No…no, that's stupid. And suicidal. _

Kakashi turned away from the main road. He would take the scenic route. Of course, the scenic route included small alleyways, unpleasant peoples, and heaping cans of garbage. But he needed to think out his attack plan. Or better yet, means of escape.

He was a coward and it was his duty as a coward to run away from the truth as long as possible. He was afraid to admit why he always thought about her. He didn't dare speak of the reasons why she haunted his dreams. And if he was afraid to admit it to himself, how would he summon up the courage to speak to Sakura about it?

But his feet had betrayed him, bringing him to the manor much more quickly than he had anticipated. He prepared himself for a verbal battle with Sakura, but if he was lucky, he might be able to dodge her. He really hoped that was the case. Still, he made sure his unease was well hidden before he continued up the small path that lead to the edge of the garden.

Once he reached the garden, he let himself relax. Besides, there was no point in making himself feel sicker than he had to. The hangover was enough to deal with. Luckily, the pleasant smells and the soft beauty of the garden didn't overwhelm him. Actually, it made him feel cozy.

As he made his way through the garden, he was surprised to see that he was not alone. There was an old man tending to the flowers, taking great care as he clipped away the dead roses. He wasn't wearing any gloves which, to Kakashi, was a foolish idea. The old man's hands were in threat of being sliced up by the thorns. He himself wouldn't dare to venture close to them without protection.

Kakashi realized though on closer inspection that the senior's hands were not cut up. He moved skilled and quickly amongst the roses. Not a single thorn had torn into his skin. Kakashi was at a loss for words and continued to watch the gardener in his work.

After a while, the old man stopped working and pulled away from his task. He turned towards Kakashi and suddenly the younger man felt very young and small compared to the gardener. His eyes held so much wisdom and experience it was daunting.

The gardener drew closer, leaving Kakashi unable to do anything except watch the older man approach. Just when Kakashi was about to speak to the older man, he was passed and the senior continued onward to another thatch of flowers. Kakashi was confused and quickly turned around. He wondered if the man was blind. Surely he had seen him though, right?

"I'm not blind Hatake Kakashi if that is what you were wondering."

The gardener was on his knees now and he was pulling weeds from out of the soil. He didn't look behind him to see the startled reaction he had pulled from the jonin. He knew.

"How do you know my name?" asked Kakashi, not at all hiding his bewilderment. "I've never seen you and yet you know of me."

"I know a lot about you, young man," said the gardener.

His hands moved quickly as he spoke, not once stopping. He was efficient and quick, yanking out the weeds completely from the ground and tossed them into a bag at his side.

"I know you are called the Copy Ninja because of your sharingan that replaced your left eye. I know you have a nearly unhealthy liking of _Icha Icha _books. I also know of Team Seven and your students. Just recently, you've been busy with one of them, trying to fix a broken friendship. Must be hard after three years, eh? I heard she nearly drowned. Hit by a tree, was it?" He shifted on his knees and moved to a different section of the garden to pull more weeds. He stopped in his movements when he felt the tip of something sharp just barely touching his back.

"You know too much Old Man," said Kakashi, making sure the grip on his kunai knife was strong. "Far too much. Are you a spy and if you are, who do you work for?" He added just a little pressure to make his point. It wasn't enough to cause bleeding, but he knew it had to be uncomfortable.

The gardener wasn't fazed however and continued in his work. He was even chuckling to himself which caught Kakashi off guard. The jonin was growing impatient and asked again who the man was, not at all letting go of the kunai.

"Is this how you treat the friends of Sakura?" asked the gardener, stopping in his work. He finally turned away from his work and looked up at Kakashi for the first time. The shock on the younger man's face was clearly visible.

"She seems like a strong woman. I don't think she'll appreciate you digging your knives into me. Perhaps this is why she is so annoyed with you." He stood up shrugging, but he was smiling all the same. Slowly, the gardener slipped the kunai out of Kakashi's frozen hands and tucked it into his own belt. Then he pat the man on the shoulder and moved to continue his tasks.

Kakashi was at a loss for words. He continued to stare at the man as he went back to his work, not really able to fully wrap his mind around the situation. Sakura told the old man about him, that much was certain. But just how much did she tell him and why did she speak of him anyway? Surely the old man knew something that he didn't, but it was something he wanted to know.

"I'm sorry for threatening you," said Kakashi, kneeling down next to the gardener. "It's just that you caught me off guard. People that are close to me don't know much about me. A stranger holding so much knowledge about me and those close to me is far from the norm."

"I'm sorry as well," said the gardener, still picking away the weeds from the soil. "I knew it would have probably bothered you, but I was curious as to what your reaction would be. I was clear in my judgment. You are a very quick and cautious ninja Hatake Kakashi. You live up to your standards." The old man chuckled and rubbed his thinning gray hair. "I suppose I was a bit too curious. Could have gotten myself killed. Suppose that's the price for knowledge, eh?"

Kakashi briefly wondered if the man was going senile. _No, _thought Kakashi to himself, watching the man work. _No, his eyes hold too much knowledge. He isn't senile, not yet although I do think him odd. _

"You said you spoke to Sakura," said Kakashi, bending down and helping the older man with the gardening.

"I never said that," replied the gardener, watching with slight amusement Kakashi try to pick as efficiently as him. While he moved at the same speed, he pulled wrong and the roots were left in the ground. The old man clicked his tongue and quickly smacked the back of Kakashi's hand with the flat of the jonin's kunai knife.

Kakashi pulled his hands away, scorned. "What was that for?"

"You're doing it wrong," stated the gardener. He began to dig in the soil with the knife where Kakashi had left the roots and stabbed at them. "You make my work harder, leaving the roots so deep in the soil. You want to try and do it in one pull so you don't have to go back and dig around for the remains."

Kakashi nodded and asked for the kunai. The gardener handed it to him and Kakashi set about to digging out the roots. The senior looked pleased and he continued pulling.

"Sakura did speak to me," said the gardener, stepping back onto the string of conversation. "She told me a lot of things, most things involving you. The moment you stepped into the garden, I knew immediately who you were. That was how much she spoke of you."

"I'm sure they were many bad things, weren't they?" asked Kakashi.

His words were self-mocking and he couldn't help but bite his tongue. He was positive that Sakura was angry with him. He was amazed that the old man hadn't stabbed him with his knife yet after hearing all the bad things he had done. Surely the things Sakura said about him were horrible.

"Yes, she spoke of many of your faults," admitted the gardener with a shrug. "Said that you didn't show her the comfort she needed during a difficult part of her life. She said a strong friendship and bond had been badly hurt. She was surprised she had put up with you for so long."

"She really said that?" asked Kakashi in denial.

"Yup," replied the gardener easily.

Kakashi looked to the ground, trying to stop the hurt, but the gardener wasn't about to let him off so easily.

"She also said that you left her the other night for another woman's bed." The scorn in the old man's voice was as clear as day and it made Kakashi flinch. The gardener continued working, but he also continued to speak. "Do you know she was hurt by that? Surely you should have known that such an action would pain her?"

"Of course I knew!" bit back Kakashi quickly without thinking.

The gardener stopped in his movements and Kakashi sighed heavily. "I knew, but at the time I had thought it was for the best. Obviously," he said sardonically, "I was wrong."

"And now?"

"Now?" Kakashi scoffed and tossed his kunai knife onto the ground. It fell with a thump in the soft soil. It did not shine in the sun, the polished metal covered in dirt.

"Well, that's easy. Now she hates me. After all I have done to fix things, I screwed everything up." He turned to the gardener angrily, ignoring the calm look that the older man was giving him. "Do you know what's it like to be considered one of the most clever and strongest of people and then suddenly you make a mistake and you wind up an ass? The feeling from dropping from such a high spot in life to something so low is sickening and dammit, I don't know what to do!"

He ran a hand through his hair and stood up. He needed to do something, _anything, _to burn this anger away. Breaking something sounded like a good idea, but there wasn't anything in the garden to break unless he wanted to snap a few stems. He would never do that though. The garden was too beautiful and its caretaker obviously poured his heart into his work.

That same caretaker was on his feet now and was standing next to Kakashi. He laid a battered hand on Kakashi's shoulder, drawing the jonin's attention towards him. The old man was smiling.

"Forgiveness is a virtue, my boy and you need to let yourself have it. You see, forgiveness is the healing of the heart. If you allow your heart to heal, you can allow yourself to love. When you love, you can forgive. It's a never ending circle, one that continues round and round until the end of time. You," he pointed to Kakashi, "need to find a way in this circle. Talking to her is a good start."

Kakashi nodded slowly, but it was easier said than done. Finding that forgiveness, that good quality, was going to be hard. Perhaps if he talked to her soon and fixed his mistake, then the damage wouldn't be too much and then after that just maybe forgiveness would come full circle.

"You'd better get going then," said the gardener, pushing Kakashi towards the manor. "I don't know where she is now, but you'd best hurry. You're going to face some troubles on your path of forgiveness. He'll fight you tooth and nail, I'm sure. Now go."

Kakashi stumbled towards the door towards the manor. _He? _"What did you say?"

"No time. Go now and good luck to you Hatake Kakashi." The gardener pushed him into the manor, ignoring his baffled look.

"Call me Kakashi!" said Kakashi. "And what shall I call you, Old Man?"

The old man grinned. "Grandpa," he said before shutting the doors, cutting Kakashi off from the garden.

Kakashi stood in front of the garden's doors, still with his thoughts.

"Grandpa?" he asked with question. Then he shook his head, deeming it unimportant. What mattered now was that he found Sakura. But as he walked, he wondered just what troubles he would face.

The first person he asked, a young maid who had just gotten out of childhood, had no idea where exactly Sakura was. All she knew was that she hadn't seen here since she left to the garden which was two hours ago. Kakashi had done his best not to sound so sarcastic when he said his thanks and apparently did a very good job masking his frustration throughout the rest of his questioning. Only after the sixth person he asked did he get useful information. However, it was info he didn't take too kindly to.

"Oh yes, Sakura-sama! I believe she left the manor with the young lord a few hours ago."

"Do you know where they went?" he asked hurriedly, not at all liking Sakura being alone with him.

"N-no," stuttered the maid, flinching slightly at the intensity of his voice. "But I'm sure one of the other masters' would know."

Kakashi bit back a growl of frustration. He wasn't in the mood to talk Atsushi or Mari. But it was either talking to them, or letting Sakura possibly slip from his fingertips.

He murmured his thanks and made his way towards the heart of the manor. As he made his way through the large home, he could smell and hear the preparations for lunch. Amongst those voices, he heard the distinct murmur of Yuriko's voice telling the servants where to put what. The young heir was also another person whom he did not feel like talking to. Quickly he passed the kitchens by and made his way up the stairs to the second floor.

"Lord Atsushi?" He knocked on the heavy wooden doors that lead to his study. When he received no reply, he knocked again, a little louder the next time. "Lord Atsushi?"

Still he received no reply and was just about to turn away when something dawned upon him. Atsushi wasn't in his study. He was _always _in his study, and now he wasn't. It was the perfect opportunity to do some snooping.

Kakashi mentally groaned. He was torn between his work and his feelings, an encounter he truly did hate and tried to avoid at all costs. But here it was, biting him on the ass. Of course he knew what his duties were, but Sakura….

"Dammit…"

Go into Atsushi's study, or go and find Sakura. Over and over he balanced his options. When he thought about Yuu with her, he nearly ran back down the stairs. But in the end the logical part of Kakashi's mind took control. He could not abuse this opportunity, no matter how badly he wanted to tear Unon apart in search for Sakura. Besides, he knew Sakura would have told him to search the study instead of her. Still, he couldn't help but feel angry with himself, feeling weak for having given in so easily. But he was a shinobi first and foremost and his duties were sound.

He looked around for anyone who might find him suspicious. It wasn't required though, the servants too busy with their own tasks to bother sparing a passing glance at the silver haired man slipping into a room he had no business in.

Once Kakashi was in Atsushi's study, he made a quick sweep of the room, looking for anyone who might be hiding or anything that might give him away. Finding the area to be secure, he quickly moved towards the large desk that the lord was always busy working at. He flipped through the papers that were lying on top of the desk first, not yet tackling the drawers. They spoke of taxes and trade with neighboring towns. Many peddlers and businesses were written down on the list of all of the shops inside Unon. Cleary, the city was a popular place for trade and what not. No wonder the town looked so nice.

Under many other papers there was a letter left without an address. It had a seal… and it was unbroken. Kakashi looked around the room out of habit and took the letter into his hand. Turning it around in his hands, it seemed simple enough. But letters that were sealed held secrets and secrets were just what Kakashi was looking for. Not to mention the lord himself hadn't read it yet. Kakashi would have access to information before Atsushi himself.

Kakashi looked around again and quickly broke the seal. Pulling open the letter, he quickly scanned the writing. To his surprise, it was from Yuu, dated that morning. _No wonder Atsushi hadn't seen it yet, _thought Kakashi to himself as he continued to read.

_Father, _

_Today I will carry out the errand you asked me to do. I am bringing Sakura with me. I hope you don't mind. She's great company and… _

"Yeah, yeah…" Kakashi scanned quickly over Yuu's discussion about Sakura, rolling his eyes as he read. He stopped when the subject began to change.

_… person like her. But I will be cautious just like you asked me to. I know the Rebelle have been searching for us for a long time. This is why I want to help you! They're in Unon, I'm sure. Or at least there are spies. But I will look throughout the market and see if there are inaccurate numbers and don't worry; I'll make sure to check their supplies as well. We won't help them, I promise! _

_ Don't forget, tonight is the Festival of Dance. I'm brining Sakura with me. I want you to be there along with mother. As for Yuriko, that is your decision, but you need to be there. You've missed the last few festivals. Don't miss this one too. I know you are busy, but please father, don't get so sucked up in your work. I hate seeing you so tired… _

Kakashi stopped reading. Slowly he set down the letter, caught in the facts.

_So, the name of the gang is the Rebelle. I can guess that their business involves deeply with the trade and commerce of this city, but what exactly are they searching for? And Sakura… Sakura! _

He had to tell her somehow. If he could get word to her, then perhaps she could do a little intelligence gathering. Then maybe they could find out whatever the hell was going on in Unon.

"Wait," said Kakashi out loud, stopping himself. "Sakura's a big girl now. She'll be looking out anyways for any clues. I'll just ask her later what she finds out."

With that in mind, he set about sealing the letter up again. He melted some wax that was on Atsushi's desk and dripped it onto the envelope.

"Now, for the final touch…"

Reaching into his vest, he pulled out the silver ring he had found on the ninja's body within the forest many weeks ago. Pressing it into the still warm wax, he made a relatively good replica of the seal. Only if one studied it hard would you see the small difference in shape from the original seal. Smiling to himself, he laid the letter back where it was, giving it the appearance it had never been touched. Then, Kakashi continued his searching.

The rest of the papers were deemed unnecessary, speaking of schools and boats. Again, he saw a flyer speaking about the Festival of Dance, one that _apparently _Yuu was taking Sakura to.

At that thought, Kakashi wanted to crumple the stupid piece of paper and throw it out the window. Of course he didn't, but he couldn't help but grow angry over Yuu. He wanted dearly to leave the study and look for Sakura in the city, but he continued to search. Besides, in the end he had made the correct decision into entering the study. He knew where Sakura was and he had gained information about the elusive gang, now known as the Rebelle. In the end, his mind was right all along.

Carefully arranging the papers so that they appeared no one had disturbed them, he made his way to the drawers. Pulling on one of them, he was not surprised to find that they were locked. But he was a ninja and ninja were not deterred by such simple means of safety.

Kakashi pulled out a senbon and made quick work at the lock. With a small click, the mechanism gave way. Kakashi smiled to himself and pulled open the drawer to see neatly filed documents. He pulled up each of the folders just enough to see what they were labeled under, not wanting to spend anytime on useless information. Instead, he focused on things that included trade and money.

Kakashi pulled up a folder that was labeled "funds." Opening it, he briefly scanned the first few sentences. They spoke of a recent "donation" to the city, a lie that Kakashi could see right through. But he continued reading, finding the donation even more suspicious when no name was given. The numbers that were written neatly in the parchment however nearly threw Kakashi for a loop. There was no way anyone in the right mind would give a city _that_ much money, even if they were the most righteous and kind hearted people on the planet.

Kakashi put the folder back into the drawer and began to search again, ever mindful of the noise outside of the room. He pulled up another folder, this time labeled "shipments." This one held particular interest with Kakashi for the items listed on the parchment were not every day supplies. Actually, if one were to take a glace at it, they would think that a war had broken out and a general was ordering supplies for his men. But it was strange, the way everything was listed. It insinuated that they would not remain in the city for long. No shops were listed next to the supplies were they should be sent. It was as if Unon was only a brief stop in their journey.

_This doesn't make any sense, _thought Kakashi shaking his head. _I can guess that whomever gave the donation was Rebelle, but why would they do that if Atsushi was trying to pull away from him? And then there's this letter with all of these weapons. Could this be what Yuu is looking for? But if it is, then why does Atsushi have these documents? He knows exactly where they are, so it doesn't make sense to send his son to go and look for something he knows full well about. _

Kakashi sighed heavily, feeling a headache coming on. _I can smell a rat and its name is Atsushi, but how am I going to confront him about it? _

The doorknob on the door rattled, bringing Kakashi to immediate attention. Quickly he put the folder back into the drawer and practically slammed it closed in his haste. He had just enough time to jump to the ceiling before an unnamed man stepped into the room. The chakra condensed around Kakashi's feet kept him glued to the high ceiling and more importantly, out of the man's view. He watched with interest at how much caution he exercised, as much or more than Kakashi himself had done.

Quietly shutting the door, he looked around the study for anyone who might be there. Kakashi himself was rather careful of his breathing, not wanting to give himself away. He may be on the ceiling, but with one glance upwards, he would be easily caught.

The man looked around again before walking over to the desk. Kakashi watched with interest as he knelt down before the same exact drawer as he did. The young man dug into his shirt before pulling out something small and silver. Kakashi realized that it was a key and it had been hanging around his neck. The man slipped the key into the lock of the drawer and turned.

Immediately, surprise followed by suspicion flashed across the man's face. Not even paying attention to his previous task, he was up and looking around the room. Kakashi's heart began to beat a little faster, wondering where he had gone wrong. The man was obviously distressed, looking behind chairs and under tables so thoroughly that he could find a ruby earring stud against the blood red carpet. Apparently something had thrown him off kilter.

Kakashi realized with sudden clarity that the drawer had been left unlocked. While, he guessed, the man usually heard the click of the lock being undone, he had heard nothing. Someone had been there before him and it was dear old Kakashi, the man who was standing on the ceiling, who had done it.

Kakashi saw a flash of metal and he knew that the man had a dagger in his hands. Luckily, he didn't seem like too much of a threat, at least, not a ninja. If he had been, Kakashi would have been found out long ago. Still, that was as far as his luck was going to reach. The man clearly had no intention of leaving until he found out whatever he needed to find.

The jonin quickly began to look for a way out, not at all wanting to tangle with the man. He needed to keep suspicion down and if anyone found out he had been snooping in his client's study, he and Sakura would most definitely be found out. He could deduct that the man had gone through this many times before to be so shocked at the unlocked drawer. Kakashi decided that whoever the man was, he was in alliance with Atsushi or at least held a bargain with him. He didn't need him telling the lord anything about him and his snooping.

Looking around the room however, he realized that there was no way he was going to get out without getting caught. He couldn't exit through the door, he couldn't go through the window. If he 'poofed' out of there, he would be heard. Atsushi could later deduct that a ninja had been there and would blame either him or Sakura. He would have to wait patiently for the man to leave. But that was easier said than done. Already twenty minutes had passed and while Kakashi had great stamina, his chakra wasn't infinite. It would run out sooner or later and when that happened, he'd either be free or caught.

When ten more minutes passed, Kakashi was beginning to feel discomfort. The man wasn't looking around the room anymore, but he was mumbling to himself so low that even the jonin couldn't hear. He did however catch Atsushi's name and wondered briefly if the older man would be blamed for whatever rule or method Kakashi may have broken.

Whatever the man was murmuring to himself, he was making things worse for Kakashi. Silently, he prayed for some luck, any luck, that would help him out of his situation.

Not only was his chakra running low, all the blood was rushing to his head. It left him very uncomfortable and dizzy. His vision was also beginning to blur, a sign that was never good. He shook his head slightly to try and clear his vision, but that only made it worse. A wave of nausea washed over him and briefly, he lost his concentration.

A foot came loose from the ceiling and nearly brought him down on his head. Kakashi quickly put his foot back on the ceiling, but the contact made a whisper of noise, which in the deathly quiet room was like a rock being dropped on glass.

The man stopped talking to himself and froze, listening for any more noise. The dagger was out again, but the man stayed frozen, listening to the barest of noises. Kakashi swallowed, afraid he was going to be found out. The man's eyes were now scanning the bookshelves. Only a few more inches and Kakashi would be spotted.

There was another loud thump, not unlike Kakashi's own mistake, and the giggling of women as another woman cursed. The man looked at the door and Kakashi could see an exaggerated roll of the man's eyes as he tucked his knife back into his belt.

"Stupid women," he grumbled to himself before turning his attention back to his thoughts.

Kakashi let out a sigh of relief, thankful for the misunderstanding. _A little luck, _thought Kakashi gratefully. He wasn't out of the woods yet though. Quickly he regained his composure. After he found himself still and waiting for the man to leave, he realized he was no less queasy than he had been in the first place. Briefly, he wondered what it would be like to vomit upside down. _A show, in the least. _

Kakashi was a hair's breath away from jumping off the ceiling and digging a kunai into the man's throat. There wasn't any way the suspicious man was worth this much discomfort. Not only was he sick, he was growing sweaty. The room was stuffy and he hadn't moved an inch. Sweat was beading on his skin, the perspiration behind his hitai-ate a rather uncomfortable feeling. He would have moved a hand to brush it away, but even the slightest sound would give himself away. That much was proved already.

Still, his stamina was wearing thin. He wasn't sure how much longer he could last, but he knew it wasn't long. And the man below him looked like he wasn't going to go anywhere.

The door opened and Kakashi's attention was turned to the woman who was juggling with a box of cleaning supplies. Quickly, he turned his attention back to the man who had been caught. To his dismay, he had disappeared, one of the windows in the study open. His attention had been stolen for only a few seconds and still the man had gotten away.

_Damn… Well, I guess I shouldn't stick around here for much longer either. Time to go. _

The maid didn't seem to notice how strange it was to have a usually closed window open, so how could she notice Kakashi departing through the open door behind her? Besides, she had more important matters to attend to such as cleaning off the dust that was beginning to collect on the furniture. She didn't even notice the key that was still sticking out of the drawer. Then again, she never cleaned around that area, so she couldn't have.

--

A/N: Sorry for the delayed update. I've been really busy lately and I haven't had the time for F.I.A.V. Luckily, I've been cut a break and I've been given more time to write.

My thanks still goes out to all of the readers. You guys are the reason why I write!


	10. Secrets

--

Never before had Sakura seen Unon so busy. Before the festival, she had thought the ordinary traffic was a little out of control. This however was beyond chaos. While she was shoved between people who were hanging up decorations, she had to watch her feet in case another set of children wrapped streamers around her legs. The first incident had sent her to the ground and left a small scrape on her thigh, but she knew the children were sorry. They had later returned with candied plums, a yummy treat.

However, there were the less than kind who apparently hadn't heard of manners their entire life. More than once Yuu had to step in because of some unruly townsperson getting upset by Sakura getting too close to them. Each time this happened, she grew more and more thankful that Yuu was with her. She began to wonder what would have happened to her if she had gone into the city alone. Such a though sent shivers through her body.

The sounds were deafening. There were many different bands playing throughout the streets, their own style of music clashing with others. While Sakura could have probably enjoyed one or two bands, dozens were a _tad _too much. Then there were the shouts of the merchants who pulled out all of their merchandise and were trying to sell before the festival. Luckily for them, there were a lot of last minute buyers who were scrounging for whatever they needed for the dinner. This however only tripled the sound, arguments hollered every which way. Sakura had to shout at the top of her lungs to try and get a few words across to Yuu.

The smells were good and bad. While the many different foods were tantalizing, there were other unpleasant scents. The most distinct of them all was the livestock that was guided through the streets. The very middle of the street was left barren even when there weren't any animals crossing through. Nobody wanted to be caught when oxen came barreling down the middle of the road without an escape. Sakura had discovered this rather quickly when she began to walk towards the empty space, saying she was tired of being bumped into. Luckily Yuu had pulled her back in time before dozens of goats came bleating from down the street. While she wouldn't have died, she would have had an unpleasant encounter with the animals and the herdsman.

"What are we doing first?" asked Sakura, or rather yelled Sakura. Another large man had bumped into her, nearly causing her to lose her grip on Yuu's arm. She tightened her grasp and continued walking with Yuu.

"We need to make a few rounds," replied Yuu just as loud. His voice carried easier than hers over the noise and she heard every word he said. "I need to check on all of our main sellers and see what trade they've been conducting."

"Why do you do that?"

"What?"

"_Why do you do that?_" asked Sakura again, screaming. Her throat was going to pay for it in the morning.

"Oh, well that's easy. We want to make sure there aren't any illegal operations being carried out. We check these merchants and their stock for any illicit trade or anything related to trade. Usually my father does this, but he asked me to do it this time."

"Wow," said Sakura, "that's a pretty big responsibility. So you just go to the shops or whatever and basically check their stock?"

"Stock, profit, trading routes. Lots of things are looked over and when we do it personally, it assures a thorough run through." Yuu pulled her out of the way of a wagon filled with flowers. "Kind of hard though, doing it on the day of the festival. There are many people making purchases. These include a lot of illegal ones, thieves or any other ruffians relying on all of the chaos to try and hide their activities. That's why we have to make our rounds fast so we don't miss anything."

Sakura nodded, taking all of the information in. _This could be a good time to see just how much money Unon is making. I'm sure not many people get to look at the shops' stock and trade. _Sakura grinned to herself. _Kakashi's going to be surprised. Hopefully I can gather some useful intelligence._

Yuu was speaking and Sakura hadn't heard a thing. "What did you say?" she asked, yelling again.

"I said that while we visit the shops, you can look for your costume," said Yuu, turning her towards another street.

Sakura had hoped he had forgotten but of course he didn't.

"I really don't need a costume," she said, trying to convince him to not to buy her one. "Besides, I don't even know what I'm looking for!"

"You do need a costume," replied Yuu simply. "Even I am getting one. If you don't have one, you'll stick out like a sore thumb."

"Surely there will be others that can't dress up! I mean, not everybody has money to buy something."

"Wrong again," said Yuu grinning. "While not everybody can buy a dress, everyone has a mask. Those who can't buy one are given one before they enter the festival for free."

He stopped and gestured to a little girl who was running down the street wearing a mask of a smiling demon of sorts. It was bland and was only painted in black and white, two very simple colors. Upon further inspection, Sakura realized that there were many other masks of the same style.

"Well," said Sakura dryly, "isn't that lovely?" She turned to Yuu, hope springing in her eyes. "You don't have to buy me the dress or the mask then. Dresses aren't required and I can just pick up a mask at--"

"Sakura," said Yuu, looking down at Sakura with a confused look on his face, "why do you fight me? I want to give you a gift. It's not like I'm getting down on my knees and offering you a ring." He gestured around him to the chaos that was the eve of the festival. "This is a day of fun! There isn't time for romance, not yet at least," he said with tease. "That's left for the dancing."

"Dancing?"

"Yes. Besides," he added with a grin, "I always wear an extravagant costume. I need my date to wear one as well!"

Sakura gapped at him, and he laughed at her expression. He shook her and said, "Come now! Don't be so shocked. You look like you swallowed a bug. Let's go, plenty of business to do today."

Their first stop was nothing important. It was a grocer, one that was packed to the brim with people. They had to squeeze their way past all of the customers to reach the counter where a woman was doing her best to fulfill the requests of the people.

At the sight of Yuu, she quickly bowed her head. Those she was helping turned also and their eyes visibly widened. They too bowed and suddenly the whole store was filled with only the backs of people's heads. Sakura was surprised and nearly startled at the quick reaction. Yuu seemed to be unfazed and turned to the woman who had now straightened.

"I am here to inspect your store," he said.

Again, Sakura was surprised to hear that Yuu had gone stone faced again and his voice was deep and even. Sakura shook her head, suddenly reminded of Kakashi who instead of changing his face to conceal his emotions, he hid behind a mask. _They're really the same in the end, _thought Sakura to herself as she watched Yuu and the woman speak. _I don't think they understand how much they are alike._

Sakura suddenly found herself being led to a backroom. It was lighted well and was stocked full of boxes. Sakura was amazed and wondered just what lied inside all of those crates.

"Is she allowed back here?" asked the woman, pointing to Sakura.

Obviously the woman didn't trust her and was giving her venom glares. Sakura had no idea why. She hadn't even spoken a word to the woman!

Sakura made a move to reply, but was stopped by Yuu who said, "Yes, she is fine. And please don't give her death glares Mitsuru, she's different."

"So you said the last time," huffed Mitsuru, still glaring at Sakura.

Sakura felt like a piece of meat that was hanging in front a starved wolf. It was very uncomfortable and she was torn between hiding and yelling at the woman.

"I mean it this time," soothed Yuu. "Besides, she's just…" He halted in his words and looked down at Sakura. She turned and looked at him and then both were caught in a staring match.

"…A friend," he finished quietly. And suddenly, as if very embarrassed, he turned away from Sakura and focused on his suddenly important task, scratching at the wood of the crate.

Sakura turned to Mitsuru, raising an eyebrow as if asking, "Are you satisfied?"

Apparently she was and she left the two to their own business. The moment Mitsuru disappeared, Sakura had pulled away from Yuu and crossed her arms.

"The last time?" inquired Sakura, giving him a look. "What did she mean by that?"

Yuu tugged at his collar and moved towards the crates. He pulled open each one and looked inside. From his pocket he pulled out a small notebook and began flipping to what Sakura believed where the grocer was listed. Then, he began to count.

Sakura resisted the urge to take the little book and put it down her shirt so he would have no other choice than to speak to her if he ever wanted it back. Such an action was deemed silly and childish, so she decided against it. She would, however, get him to talk to her. He couldn't make this go away.

"Yuu…"

Yuu stopped counting and sighed. Continuing in his work, he said, "Do you remember when I told you about the women I used to be with?"

Sakura recalled their short conversation and nodded.

"Yes."

"Well," he sighed again, his shoulders slumping, "let's just say that I've seen a lot of nasty women. Mitsuru has known each and every one of them and has had to see me go through all the conflicts each woman brought me." He looked over his shoulder, giving a small smile. "You can see why she is so cautious."

"More like paranoid," mumbled Sakura under her breath, but she began to understand and then she wasn't so angry with her. She could only imagine what kind of women would make Mitsuru so cautious and snippy.

They continued on to different stores, not much happening for the first few. Sakura would wait patiently for Yuu to finish his business all the while looking for anything suspicious. Each stop took about forty five minutes and by the fourth store, Sakura was bored out of her mind. She resulted to buying a puzzle to pass her time. It was one where she had to try and twist a piece of bent metal free of loops. On the box, it had said it would guarantee hours of mental stimulation. Unfortunately for Sakura she was apparently good with puzzles and finished it within the first thirty minutes of buying it.

Sakura looked at the twisted metal in her hands that had come free of the rings. She sighed and put the puzzle into her pocket, watching Yuu go over the different rolls of cloth.

"And that's it," said Yuu, pulling away from the large stack of silk. He arched his back and, picking up a clipboard nearby, signed his name on a sheet of paper stating that the shop had passed the inspection.

"Thank god!" Sakura sighed in relief and pushed herself away from the wall she had been leaning on. "Now where are we headed?"

Yuu shook his head, confusing Sakura. "Not we, just me. You," he pointed, "are to stay here and get fitted for your dress."

"_What?_" Sakura shook her head. "No, no, no… You cannot leave me here with… with that!" She thumbed towards the door which snuffed out the conversation of the women just outside the door. "I don't know who you think I am, but I do not gossip about which men are available or who is gay or not. Once upon a time maybe, but not now!"

Yuu laughed but Sakura found nothing funny about it. He walked up to her and pat her on the back, not at all helping the situation.

"Come on Sakura, they're not all that bad."

"Says the man who just stares at them."

"Well," said Yuu, flinching mockingly, "it seems the blossom is most bitter."

Sakura stuck her tongue out at him and angrily pushed past him and the door into the measuring room. The moment the door closed behind her, she felt bad and moved to turn around and apologize. But when she heard laughing behind the door her guilt vanished in a cloud of anger. She huffed and whipped around, fully intent on leaving the stupid heir.

Just before she left, she heard him say, "I'll be back in an hour or so and we'll make one last stop. Then, we'll go look for a mask and then we'll pick up your dress. Sound good?"

"Yes, yes," said Sakura irritably before leaving Yuu completely. When she stepped into the measuring room, she soon regretted her decision and moved to run back into the storage room. Immediately she was swarmed by women who began to chat so quickly she had no idea what they were saying. She was able to get the gist of their conversation though and it said that she was apparently a woman who hadn't seen make up or lotions in a long time.

"Excuse me?" she asked indignantly, but Sakura was cut short. She was quickly yanked to the side and was being stripped of her clothing. She began to push away, a hair's breath away from pummeling the women, not at all caring of the consequences. Every time though she tried to make a move, she was either twirled around, wrapped in tape measurers or cloth, or was outspoken by another. Either way she was helpless and after the first few minutes she gave into their menstruations.

"I'm going to kill Yuu for this," she grumbled to herself as more woman began to hold color templates to her face, trying to find the right color for her. One of the cards poked her in the eye and she angrily swatted the paper out of her face only to be replaced seconds later.

"Yes, he is going to _die…_"

* * *

Luckily it was only an hour before Yuu came back. However, enough damage had been done leaving Sakura rumpled and out of place. Her hair had been pulled every which way to try to find what kind of style would fit her and her clothes had been thrown to the floor and stepped on in the seamstresses' haste.

Yuu hissed in pain as he rubbed his shoulder where Sakura had landed a sound punch.

"Nice way you show your thanks."

"Shush it," she grumbled, grabbing onto his arm as they walked down the street to the next shop. While Sakura was angry, Yuu was laughing and after a while Sakura couldn't stay angry with him. So, she opted for a few laughs and jokes herself as they made their way to the next shop.

"So," she asked, "where are we headed next?"

"We are headed to a weapons shop actually," said Yuu.

But this time, he seemed a little off. When she felt his body tense up as they neared the shop, she knew that this place held extra caution. So, her eyes and ears kept sharp and she quietly observed her surroundings.

As they drew closer, Sakura realized that she had been to the shop before. Apparently the man remembered her as well because the moment he saw her, his eyes visibly widened. At this, Sakura knew there was something up with the man and possibly his store. She kept this information to herself however. She was here to observe, not get involved. Such was the duty of a scout.

"Master Yuu," said the merchant, bowing his head, "it is a pleasure to see you. I am guessing it is the time of the inspection, correct? And I see you've brought a lovely young lady with you."

The merchant straightened and looked at Sakura. Within that gaze, all of her old suspicions of the man rose within her to an almost uncontrollable feeling. Within that gaze, she also saw his threat. He was daring her to say anything just so she could screw something up.

Sakura played the meek girl and bowed her head in greeting. The merchant was obviously no fool and saw through her disguise but if Sakura appeared to be ignorant, the merchant could do nothing to make ill of her appearance.

"Hello again Drein," said Yuu, bowing his head. "And yes, you are correct. It won't take long, as always."

"Of course, of course!" exclaimed Drein, giving a smile, one that Sakura saw to be _very _fake. Casting a glance over to Yuu, she decided he had no idea just what kind of man Drein was. To her it was clear and she was looking forward to whatever the man was sure to be hiding.

"It would be great if we could finish this up quickly," said Yuu, shifting closer to the stand, the crowds in the street growing larger and more chaotic. "The traffic is growing and Sakura and I have business to take care of."

"Certainly," replied Drein, bowing his head. "I wouldn't want our young lord and… lady, to be kept late, right?" He straightened and stared directly into Sakura's eyes. There were so many lies that she could see within him, but she could not, would not, look away. She was a jonin and she was not to be deterred. So smiling, she accepted the silent challenge and followed behind Yuu as they entered the storeroom.

Unlike the grocer, this storeroom was dimly lit. The air was musty, creating a hazy atmosphere. Sakura stifled a cough, the dust getting to her senses. _Doesn't clean much, _she though sarcastically, scanning the shadowed crates, their contents hidden. _Perhaps it is to hide something more?_

"Here you are," said Drein, shifting to the side of the room to give room for Yuu and Sakura. The walkways were small, but the warehouse itself was large. Who could predict the amount of things one could hide?

"Lights burned out," said Drein, looking up at the dusty ceiling lamps, "so you'll have to do your best in the dark."

"And of course," said Sakura, looking at a shelf with boxes of explosives, "there isn't a single light bulb in this store." She turned slowly and looked to the storekeeper, eyes still. "Right?"

The shopkeeper appeared surprised for a moment, but a cynical grin spread across his face. He wagged his finger at her, chuckling softly to himself.

"You are a clever girl," he said, stepping closer to her. "A clever girl indeed."

Sakura couldn't help but shrink back slightly as he approached her. He was tall and sturdy and he could easily squash her in this dark and cramped area. Sakura would be at a disadvantage with the limited amount of space to move around and the danger of Yuu possibly getting hurt. Sakura was stuck between a rock and a hard place, but still she stood her ground.

Drein got closer and bent his mouth down to her ear. His breath was hot on her skin, smelling strongly of tobacco. It made her feel deathly ill.

"Don't be getting into something that's out of your league, little girl."

His whisper was harsh and demanding. Sweat trickled down Sakura's forehead and she swallowed dryly.

"Then perhaps," she answered just as quietly, "you shouldn't make your intentions so apparent. A 'little girl' such as myself can't help but get into situations like this."

Drein pulled back, a scowl on his face. Sakura faced him evenly, but she wished desperately that Kakashi was with her. He looked like he was a man that wouldn't hesitate to beat down a girl like her.

A moment later Drein scoffed and turned on his heel, heading for the door. Sakura could hear the curses muttered under his breath, but she couldn't care less. She was away from him and that was all that mattered. Turning away from the door, she joined Yuu who was on the opposite side of the storeroom, going through boxes.

Watching Yuu move, she couldn't help but realize that he had been completely ignorant of what had unfolded. He had no clue as to who Drein really was and how much potential danger he held. Who knew what other dangers Yuu may have faced without his knowledge? It made Sakura scared for his safety.

Sakura came up behind Yuu and hugged him tight, trying to relieve herself of the fear she had for him. Yuu had gone rigid with surprise, dropping the small notebook before turning slowly to look down at her.

"Sakura?"

"Be safe, okay?"

He was clearly confused, but he nodded anyway. "Alright Sakura, I will."

Sakura looked up at him, trying to decide if his answer was good enough. A few moments later, she accepted it and pulled away.

"I'm serious, Yuu. I don't want to see you hurt."

"I'm just looking at the weapons," said Yuu, gesturing towards the crate. "It's not like I'm throwing them in the air."

Sakura bit back a sigh. "That's not what…." Then, she let it drop. There was no point trying to explain things. She turned around to do her own snooping. "I'm serious. Be careful, okay?"

"Alright."

Sakura nodded, and continued on with her exploration. Still, she couldn't help but feel worried. She had an itching feeling something bad was going to happen in the coming days. She couldn't quite place it, but she knew everyone had to be on their guard.

Sakura pulled open a few crates to look inside. Of course there were weapons and clothing meant for the outdoorsman, but there was nothing of real interest. As she went from box to box, she found more and more weaponry, each more dangerous than the last. Once, she even stumbled across a rather sensitive explosion. The moment she smelled the smallest hint of the powder within the bombs, she knew that the slightest knock would set them off. Quickly she backed away and continued searching.

Sakura opened another box, this one filled with wool socks and gloves. They were simple, only made out of the water resistant fiber. They were created for the average hiker, definitely not for the traveling ninja. There was no metal to protect the backs of the hands, a must for shinobi wear. She let the gloves drop back into the crate and moved towards another one.

Crossing, she accidentally hit her toe against the wood of the clothing filled crate. She bit her lip and hopped down on one foot, holding the other in her hands. "Ow, ow…" She looked down at her toe, saddened to see silver embedded into her skin. "Damn crate," she grumbled at the wood, kicking it again.

Then, she heard it. Rattling and the shifting of metal. _That was weird, _she thought to herself. She kicked it again and again there was the clear clinking of metal. Sakura opened the crate again and shifted through the wool socks and gloves, trying to find the source of the sound. After pulling out everything in the box, she was left with no answers, only wood.

"What the hell?" she asked herself, shaking the box with her frustration. To her surprise, she saw the bottom of the box jiggle in place. Curiosity took over and she attempted to pull at the bottom part of the box. Unfortunately, it would not be pulled out without a tool.

Sakura was in a storeroom however filled with sharp kunai. They would serve their purpose.

Sakura sneaked a glance towards Yuu. He was working his way in the opposite way as she was. She guessed that only the newer merchandise would be checked. She stood there for another minute, just to make sure and when he went behind a large shelf and out of sight, she sighed in relief.

Sakura picked one out from off a shelf and went back to the crate. Sliding the tip of the knife against the wood walls of the crate, she wedged it in until it could go no further. Very carefully, she began to pull up, the bottom of the crate coming up. Just before the planks fell back down, she grabbed it and pulled it away. Setting the bottom of the box nearby, she peered inside. What she saw startled her.

Scrolls. Dozens of scrolls, each one unmarked. They were all made of dull metal, but Sakura could sense just how dangerous they were. Carefully, she picked up the thinnest one and unraveled it. Luckily it didn't go off and she breathed a sigh of relief. Unraveling it all the way, she read the writing to herself.

Her eyes widened at the first few words, then she couldn't read anymore. She snapped the scroll shut and threw it back into the crate, grateful to get it out of her grasp. She rubbed her hands together, trying to get rid of the feeling of the paper on her skin.

_Jutsus… Jutsus with blood sacrifice…_

She shook her head slowly back and forth, backing away from the crate. The one she read in particular granted the power was to rip a single soul asunder. The price was the life of another taken by means no mortal should ever face. Dismemberment, ripping, tearing, bleeding. They were all methods to call on this single jutsu.

_What sick bastard would ship these kinds of things! _

Sakura willed herself to slowly walk back towards the crate. Surely she shouldn't let those things stay there! If she did, she was positive they would be sent to someone who had full intentions of using them. Then again, she had no way to sneak them out. So what to do?

_Tell Yuu, _was the first sensible thing that came to mind. But even as she made to yell for him, she stopped herself. Did she dare get him involved? No, she could not endanger him. He was her charge and she had to protect him from the unnamed gang. He could not know or else he would try to find out who sent them. Then, he would surely be killed.

She debated grabbing a nearby sack and stuffing the scrolls into that. She'd sneak them out with her and then she would go from there. Just as long as she got them away from the shop, then things would be fine. The logical part of Sakura deemed this course of action very foolish. Of course Drein would realize what she was doing.

_Drein… _

That bastard had indeed been hiding something and it was big. She wondered just how many other somethings he was hiding. What was the bigger question was where did he get them? Drein was clever, but not that clever. There was no way he had made them, but who did?

_I would bet my life that the gang was involved with this, _thought Sakura angrily to herself. Now she was even more determined to find out who the gang exactly was. She needed to shut them down before anymore shipments of such dangerous equipment could be made.

Sakura decided in the end that she would leave the scrolls there, much to her dislike. There was just no way though that she could get them out. She would however be coming back for them, that much was sure. So, after placing everything back where it was and closing the lid to the crate, she continued to look for more secrets.

After thirty minutes of searching, she recovered dozens of hitai-ate that were inscribed with the insignias of many different villages. When she inspected them closer, she saw that they were fake. She guessed that enemy shinobi could infiltrate a village with these carefully made head guards.

She found more scrolls, but they were not the kind she found earlier. They were no less dangerous though. She had almost set one off when she picked it up to open it. Luckily, she caught her error and quickly put the scroll away.

Then, there was the granddaddy of them all. The final crate, the one in the very back of the room, hidden under another box of clothing, was a small box filled to the brim with silver rings, each one an identical copy to the ring she had found in the forest.

"So," she said to herself, picking up a ring, "the gang _is_ involved." She had to stop them, no matter what it took. First though, she would find Kakashi. He had to know what she had found that day.

"Sakura, Sakura are you still here?"

Sakura, startled, shoved the ring into her pocket and quickly put the box back in its place. Sakura had just thrown in the last bit of clothing before Yuu turned around a corner and appeared in front of her.

"What are you doing back here?" he asked, shoving his notebook back into his pocket. "Not too bored, I hope."

"Nope!" Sakura smiled, inwardly sighing in relief. So, her little adventure had not been found out. It was just as well. She couldn't afford Yuu getting involved. At least, not yet.

"Well, then we need to get going." Yuu held out his arm for her to hold onto as he escorted her out of the storeroom. "You need to go and pick up your dress. Then, we can go shopping for masks."

"That's great," replied Sakura quickly, not at all caring about the festival anymore. She had more important matters to attend to. "Yuu, I just remembered I have something I have to go and do." She pulled herself free from his arm and quickly moved towards the door.

"Wait!" Yuu stretched out his arm and caught Sakura's hand before she could leave him. "What do you have to go and do?"

"I…" She struggled for an answer, "Well," she started again, laughing nervously, "I have to, well, you know…" Fidgeting in place, she made a quick turn for the door, smacking it open with the flat of her hand. She thumbed outside. "I have to go and… um… go and see--"

"Kakashi?"

Sakura's eyes brightened. "Yeah! I have to go and see him. Important matters and all. Now, if you'll excuse me--" Sakura turned around only face Kakashi who was standing on the other side of the stall, speaking to Drein, looking at his wares.

The moment she saw him, she was flooded with hundreds of emotions. There were two that stood out prominently: happiness and anger. Happiness because it had been a while since the last time she saw him. Happiness because anytime she looked at him, it made her feel light and alive. Happiness because he was Kakashi and Kakashi had a knack for making her happy.

Angry because the bastard had left her the other night to sleep with a woman.

Sakura wasn't sure if he was as startled as her when she saw him, but she could see the visible widening of his eyes. Within his dark gaze she saw his surprise, but to her own astonishment, she saw what could only be fear. Just why was he afraid? Surely it had been a trick of the light.

That expression came and went like summer rain and then he was that laid back, goofy man that she had come to care about.

"Well, well," said Kakashi, sticking his hands into his pockets, "I guess my patience has paid off. I've been to nearly every stand in this busy city looking for you. You're harder to find than I thought." He held up a red backed book, clearly pleased. "I was able to pick up a new issue of _Icha Icha Violence _during my little search. This one is supposed to be particularly good." Kakashi tucked the book back into his pocket. "So, what have you been up to?"

Sakura found herself silenced, unable to answer him. He had appeared so suddenly, looking for her no less, and it left her in minor shock. She had gone over this scene many times in her head. The moment she saw him, she had vowed to yell at him until her lungs were void with air. She had wanted to make him feel like she had felt when he had let those kitchen doors swing shut. That was the original plan and it was crumbling fast.

"We've been doing some errands," said Yuu, stepping in for Sakura's silence. "Right now, we're picking up her dress for the festival. She's accompanying me tonight and she will need a proper costume."

Sakura had silently hoped he would leave out the festival, but of course he had brought up. She hesitantly looked at Kakashi who seemed to be unfazed by this little piece of information. He was looking at her impassively and silently she wished he would have shown a bigger reaction.

"So, you spent your day looking at dresses then?" asked Kakashi quietly. Sakura was just learning how to read him and she could hear his displeasure. She did not take kindly to his tone.

"Excuse me," she said sharply, putting her hands on her hips, "I did more than drool over dresses today like a stuck up, lazy, vain floozy." In translation, this meant, _Of course I'm doing my job, you jerk! Who do you think I am?_

Kakashi shrugged, but she knew he got the message. With that train of thought, she realized all of the important info she had to tell Kakashi. She almost began speaking about the things she had discovered, but realized with sudden clarity Drein was right beside her, listening in.

She turned to Yuu who suddenly looked like he had fallen into a slump.

"I have to go with him now," said Sakura, thumbing towards Kakashi.

"I'll see you--"

"Now, now," said Kakashi, shaking his head, interrupting Sakura's quickly thrown together escape plan, "you can't possibly blow off your plans with Yuu for _me._" He gestured towards the road, again cutting off Sakura. "Go and get your business done. I am sure I will see you at the festival. Besides…" His voice grew softer, insinuating a promise.

"We'll always have time to talk later."

Sakura, startled, started to argue but quickly bit her tongue. What would it look like to Yuu if she argued that she didn't want to be with him, but with Kakashi? It would look awful and would probably hurt her connections with him.

Besides, Kakashi had said they would talk later. Still, she couldn't help but feel slightly irritated with him. She needed to speak to him _then, _not _later._ Surely he knew that!

Sakura shot Kakashi a burning glare before turning to Yuu who was puzzled at Kakashi's behavior.

"I suppose we can get going then, seeing my plans have been called off." Sakura grabbed onto Yuu's arm and pulled him out from behind the stand. She didn't know what kind of game Kakashi was playing, but it didn't sit well with her.

"I will see you later," said Kakashi again, assuring Sakura once more. She ignored it however, not in the mood to hear Kakashi anymore.

"Later," she half grumbled, half sighed as she walked with Yuu back up the street. He waved to her goodbye and she responded with her own lazy gesture. She let her hand drop to her side, suddenly feeling a headache coming on.

"Sakura," said Yuu, slowing his stride to get a better look at her, "do you feel alright? You look tired."

"Of course I look tired," bit back Sakura. When he drew away, suddenly very withdrawn, she sighed. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "It's just…" She pinched her brow in frustration. "It's just that man can really get on my nerves quickly. I have yet to discover how he does it so easily."

Yuu gave a small smirk and offered her his arm. She took it gratefully, even leaning against him for support. It felt good to have someone to lean on.

* * *

Drein had slunk to the side of the area and watched the scene that had unfolded before him. Once the pink haired girl and the young lord had left, he turned his attention back to the silver haired man whom he had been speaking to before his other 'guests' had come out of the storehouse. He definitely seemed to appear much older now, his eyes slightly more droopy. It made his overall aura of strength lessen and it made Drein much more comfortable. Some could call that comfort arrogance.

"So," he said, leaning against the counter of the stall, "you know her, huh?"

"Yes," said the man simply, "I do."

Already Drein could tell that he wasn't going to get anything out of the man. Obviously he had gotten his wits around him and had returned to the intimidating man he was in the first place. Drein still had his duty and that was to get to know more about him, gather more intelligence.

"You were looking for some good equipment, weren't you?" Drein pointed to the storehouse behind him, the door still open. "I can pull out a few things if you would like."

The man nodded. "Yes, that would be great."

Drein nodded and walked into the darkened storehouse. Before even grabbing the different kunai knives that had come in or the newly designed packs, he went directly to the back of the storeroom. He stood silently, looking around at his surroundings. Everything appeared to be in order. That was until he spotted a kunai that was lying near one of the secret supply crates. He picked it up and looked at the small wood shavings on the tip of the blade.

Drein smirked to himself and from his pocket he pulled out a small headset. Putting it to his ear, he pressed the button in quick succession, alerting his fellow men.

A crackled voice came from the receiver. _"News, Drein?"_

"Yes sir. Seems your old friend has been doing some snooping."

"_And?"_

Drein looked at the kunai in the dusty light, still smiling to himself.

"She knows what we're hiding."

"_You're positive then?"_

"Oh, most definitely. What I don't know is what the Copy Nin knows. I can find out if you would like."

"_No," _said the voice patiently, almost bored, _"I know that he knows much more than he lets on. One of our men encountered some suspicious activity when he went to retrieve our monthly gift. We can safely assume Kakashi was snooping around. I'm sure he found something out."_

"And once he and the bitch get together, they'll know almost everything." Drein smirked. "Well, at least they don't know the plan, right?"

There was silence on the other end. Drein's smirk dropped from his face. "Right?"

"_No Drein, they'll know everything. Call it a fool's mistake on my part. But now the clock's running down and time grows short. We must bring our plan into fruition soon."_

Drein growled, his brow creased. "I'm sorry sir, but now? We can't possibly--"

"_We must. You must alert her immediately so she can spark the fuse. Tell her to strike tonight, during their little festival."_

"I can't believe you're still giving her another chance," said Drein, snorting slightly. "All she's good for is insurance."

"_It doesn't matter. Our choices are limited."_

Drein growled in frustration, but he kept his mouth shut.

"Fine," he grumbled, "I'll tell her. What's the plan?"

Silence except for the small crackling of the background. Then, _"She goes to the festival. You are going with her. Make sure the targets are separated."_

"And Atsushi's son? I heard he's goin' with her."

"_Interesting… This may prove to help us in the long run." _There was light laughter on the other line, something that disturbed Drein greatly.

"Sir?"

"_Get the targets alone, then strike."_

"Yes, sir."

The line went dead and Drein pulled the earpiece away. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. Lighting it, he gave one long drag on it, exhaling heavily. Sticking the cigarette between his lips, he mumbled, "Things are moving too fast for my liking."

He picked up a few small boxes, stacking them one on top of another before coming out of the storehouse. The silver haired man was still there but he was leaning against the stall, reading his book. Drein was slightly surprised to see he was still there, but then again he was probably looking for answers. He would be patient in order to find out what they were up to.

"Sorry it took so long," said Drein, setting down the boxes. He took another puff on his cigarette before opening the boxes. "Here's what you were looking for."

The man looked up from his book before putting it away. Looking over the different weapons inside the crates, he seemed dissatisfied. Drein suppressed a smirk, knowing all too well Kakashi wouldn't find anything there.

"Anything else I can do for you?"

The jonin shook his head. "No, but thanks." He moved away from the stand, but before Drein could relax, Kakashi stopped and turned around.

"Wait, there's one thing you can do for me."

Drein continued smoking, trying to find something to do to hide his nervousness. "Eh? What might that be?"

Kakashi was silent for a moment, staring at Drein with a quiet fierceness. Drein grew more and more anxious, wondering if the nin was going to connect him with the illegal weapon trades. If he did that, he knew that he was going to be a dead man.

"By chance," said Kakashi, "do you know where I can purchase a mask?"

Drein suppressed his sigh of relief and pointed towards a nearby shop. Kakashi nodded his departure, leaving the merchant alone to slow his beating heart.

"Damn he's going to be hard to get down," he murmured to himself before finishing his cigarette. Dropping the butt to the ground, he mashed it with the toe of his boot before closing his stand up. After locking everything down, he left towards the manor.

--


	11. The Festival of Dance

--

The sun was already beginning to set and just outside the dress shop she could hear the beginnings of the festival. Yuu was standing just on the other side of the folding screen, waiting for her to finish dressing. He was already in his formal robes purchased from the same store. Sakura felt embarrassed, making him wait. He was supposed to be at the festival fifteen minutes ago, but a popped seam in her dress had delayed them.

With the dress stitched back up, Sakura wiggled into it quickly. The moment the skirt fell over her legs, she realized it had been a long time since she had wore anything so… girlish. In fact, the last time she had worn something like this was when she was promoted to jonin rank. Hinata had thrown her a party, getting reservations at one of the nicest restaurants in Konoha.

Then she had worn a simple black strap dress. This however was something a girl would wear while playing dress up. It was far too flamboyant for any other purpose than a costume. Wearing it was even more awkward. She was so used to wearing shorts, it was weird feeling almost barren and exposed underneath.

"You almost ready, Sakura?"

"Um, yeah," replied Sakura, still very unsure of her answer. Sakura smoothed out the ripples in the long silver skirt. The material was soft to the touch, and was very warm. Yuu had told her to make sure she chose a fabric that kept heat well for the Festival of Dance went into the wee hours of the night. It would later grow cold and he didn't want her to freeze.

Sakura turned around and looked at the mask Yuu had purchased for her sitting on the chair. Since she was technically Yuu's date, she needed to wear something that was part of his house. Of course, that would be the wolf. But the mask only covered the top part of her face, allowing her to breathe easier. She had blatantly refused a full face mask, not at all interested in breathing in her own breath over and over, sweating like a pig in the process. No, a half mask was fine and besides, it was beautiful enough. Silver paint with shinning whiskers and a zirconium nose. The eyes were outlined with elegant black as were the insides of the pointed ears. It really was a beautiful peace of art almost so pretty that Sakura didn't want to ruin it by putting it on her face.

"Sakura, we need to get going."

"Right."

She picked up the mask and slowly turned towards the mirror.

There she was, standing in a silver and white dress, appearing almost innocent. Much to her pleasure, there weren't any jewels or expensive embroidery done on the dress. It did have a generous skirt and long sleeves though and the neckline was rather… low, to say in the least. Overall though, it was a decent costume. She looked down at the mask in her hands. The wolf stared back at her with all its silent magnificence. Tonight she would be the spirit of the wolf. She would be strong, cunning, and ever mindful of her surroundings. She was going to a festival, but she had to be careful.

"Here goes." She slid the silver satin band that would keep the mask on over her head. Her vision went black, then she looked through the eyes of the wolf. Once the mask slid into place, Sakura looked at herself in the nearby mirror.

The transformation was complete. She was the visual embodiment of the wolf, silver and beautiful. She was also on high alert and she wouldn't let down her guard.

She stepped out from behind the screen and looked at the gold and red wolf across from her. Yuu looked awfully uncomfortable in the heavy black and red velvet robes. _He must be melting in here! _thought Sakura, slightly embarrassed for keeping him waiting.

He looked the same as here basically except his costume was slightly more extravagant than hers. It was to the point that if she glanced at him from a crowd, she would have no idea who he was.

"You look beautiful," he murmured, finally breaking the silence between them.

Sakura blinked, then blushed. "No I don't…"

"You do," said Yuu firmly. He walked up to her, his expensive fabrics rustling against the floor as he moved. He continued to look at her, even after he stopped in front of her. Sakura couldn't hold his gaze and looked away, still embarrassed.

Yuu offered her his arm. "Shall we go?"

Sakura nodded, thankful that they were finally leaving the dress shop. She slid her arm around his and the two exited the shop and onto the purple and red streets of Unon.

The moment she stepped foot onto the cobbled streets, she knew that she had gotten herself into something far larger than she could handle for the moment they began their descent down the street to the town's center, they were followed by dozens, then clusters of people. Sakura kept looking behind her shoulder at all of the townspeople, dressed in their own costumes. Some carried food, others decorations. Some carried nothing. Either way, they continued to follow them.

When Sakura stopped and the procession of people behind them stopped as well, she decided it was time for answers.

Elbowing Yuu in the side, she whispered, "Why are they following us?"

"Because," said Yuu quietly, turning to the people and waving, "accompanying the young lord and his date is basically walking with the famous, is it not?"

"Yes," said Sakura slowly, nodding, "I suppose. But do they gain anything from it?"

"Of course," said Yuu, turning back around, "they get attention and fifteen minutes of fame."

"Well," said Sakura dryly, "not exactly what I would ask for my birthday, but whatever."

They continued down the street until finally once of the many followers gathered up enough courage to scamper towards Sakura to talk to her.

"You look really pretty," said the girl, shyly looking to the ground.

Sakura, surprised, looked down at the young lady. She couldn't be more than twelve years old. She had long brown hair and hazel eyes and was wearing a mask made of feathers. She looked very shy and almost weak, but Sakura could see she had a strong spirit.

Sakura realized that the girl reminded her of herself when she was twelve and nearly ignorant to the world's evils. She had fallen in love with someone who couldn't ever support her and had spent all her time trying to woo him. Only until the world had dealt her a great blow had she been knocked into sense. She could see the girl had been given this hit and she felt sorry for her.

"Thank you," said Sakura, smiling. "I like what you are wearing as well. It suits you well."

The girl blushed, but was smiling wide. The girl continued talking to her and as she did, other children around her found themselves inspired. Soon they were coming up with their own questions and comments until Yuu and Sakura were surrounded by children.

"Be careful of the skirt," said Sakura, looking down at the dozens of feet around her. "I just got it!"

The children backed up briefly only to come close to her again. Such was the attention span of a child.

"We're here," said Yuu, stopping suddenly. A child behind him bumped into his back but was so excited about the festival he quickly scrambled up from the ground and was already screaming towards the throng of people. The other children were quick behind him, laughing and skipping towards the party.

Sakura stood mesmerized at the sight.

"It looks like someone colored a zoo!"

Indeed there were hundreds of people dressed up like dozens of different animals. The extravagance of the costumes varied from giant and expensive to regular street clothes. There were some masks that had giant feathers that stuck out from the crowd and shook above their heads. The most popular though was the free white mask that was given to those at the entrance of the town square. Sakura could see the giant cart filled with those masks sitting next to the entrance of the area. A few of the children that had been with them made sure to pick one up before entering the fray of dancers.

These masses of people were dancing in the middle of the town square. Lanterns lined the outer edges of the area, giving warm yellow and orange light. There were stands lined up around the perimeter, giving out free food to all of those who wanted some. There was a performer of sorts surrounded by giggling children. He was juggling flaming torches in the air, much to their amazement. Coins clinked around at his feet as a seventh torch was added to his already impressive number.

The band was on a makeshift stage, men and women plucking strings, beating drums, or playing a woodwind. The song they were playing at that moment was light and bubbly, a tune that any age could dance to. A young girl was singing on the stage, smiling bright and loving the attention.

"Looks like not everyone can afford a mask," said Sakura, looking at all of the white dots within the reds and blues.

"No, not everyone is fortunate," said Yuu. "Such is the way of life."

Sakura nodded in silent agreement and they continued down the road to the festival. When they reached the crowd, immediately the people formed a gap so Sakura and Yuu could cross. Sakura could see Mari sitting inside a gazebo that was guarded by two men. Alongside her sat Atsushi. Both of them were in elegant costume, far more expensive then either Yuu's or hers.

Atsushi stood up as did Mari as Yuu and Sakura made their way up the steps.

"Sakura," he said, smiling, "is that you? You look beautiful but I must say you are far out of character."

Yuu and Sakura bowed in front of the lord and lady politely before both took their seats, Sakura next to Mari and Yuu next to his father.

Sakura fidgeted in her seat, feeling very uncomfortable in front of Atsushi and Mari. She knew that both of them had forgiven her for her little accident, but she hadn't talked to them much at all since then.

"Father," said Yuu, his happiness hardly suppressed, "you were able to make it!"

"I was able to get a break in my work," said Atsushi simply. "Besides, it has been a while since I have seen the festival."

Atsushi looked to Sakura who still sat silently. "What do you think of it so far, Sakura?"

Sakura looked up, slightly startled. "Well," she started slow, gazing at the many people who were dancing and eating, "I haven't done much, but it looks wonderful. There's so much color and life."

"That is why the Festival of Dance is so popular," said Yuu, gesturing out towards the dancers. "It's a time of dance and culture. Nobody has any cares in the world. All that matters is the moment."

Sakura smiled softly, liking the idea of such a festival. It was something that she could enjoy greatly.

Mari, however, ruined the moment.

"Where is that bodyguard of ours? Kakashi, was it?" She scoffed and sipped from her goblet. "We will not pay for someone who does not work."

Sakura bit back a laugh. Mari was still obviously upset with Kakashi making a move on Yuriko. What made it so funny was that it had happened so long ago and yet Mari was just as mad as the moment she first found out.

"Well," said Sakura, "he told me he would be at the festival. Although," she sighed, shaking her head, "he's known to be 'fashionably late'."

_Which means up to two hours late…_

Mari grumbled something under her breath and took another sip from her goblet. No more complaints came from her though and instead light conversation floated between them. Occasionally, they would look to the dance floor and watch the couples lead through many different face-paced steps. A few acrobats stole the spotlight, flipping their friends in the air and balancing them on their hands. Sakura couldn't help but clap when two more people balanced on top, creating what looked like an upside down triangle.

There were many couples standing on the sidelines, whispering and watching everyone else. They looked like they were waiting for something, but Sakura could pinpoint just what it was they wanted. Occasionally, she would see one of these couples go up to the band and ask them something and the musicians would wave them away.

_Perhaps they're waiting for a slow song?_

Inadvertently, an image of Kakashi sprang into her mind. Sakura flushed red and looked away from the aristocrats, trying to fan her face with discretion.

_Where did that come from? Of all places… _

Sakura calmed herself and scanned the crowd. She had yet to spot the lazy jonin, but within the crowd of people, it was nearly impossible to pinpoint anybody. Still, she kept her eye out for a familiar shock of hair.

They were served a light dinner consisting of a fish soup and soft bread. Sakura made sure to drink lightly, sipping from her glass only a few times. Mari on the other hand had already finished her fourth cup and was ready to go dancing.

"Come, love," said Mari, standing up and swaying slightly before grabbing her husband's hand, "let us go to the floor. I believe the Dance of Sin is beginning soon."

Sakura, confused, look to Yuu for an explanation, but he himself was slightly pink. The jonin saw with slight amusement that the young heir was trying to avoid their parent's eyes.

Atsushi seemed out of place and very embarrassed, but he let himself be led to the middle of the square. It was a strange feeling, looking at the lord and lady of Unon together, seemingly enjoying themselves. It gave hope to those who were struggling in their relationships; if those two could enjoy themselves, anyone else could.

"So what exactly is this "Dance of Sin," asked Sakura, looking over to Yuu. Behind him, she spotted the same couples she had been watching earlier. They were entering the square, smiling. _Perhaps this is what they were waiting for?_

Yuu looked at her briefly before turning his eyes back towards his plate.

"It's a dance," he said slowly, "that happens every year. It is the most popular because there is much… emotion, within it. The Dance of Sin is the highlight of the festival and is waited for with little restraint, especially between lovers." He met her eyes and gave her a small smile. "I, myself, like the dance for the music and the energy. It's one of the few times where I can really enjoy myself."

Almost immediately a series of instruments began to play a strong song that was quick and demanded expertise to play. Atsushi and Mari strode into the middle of the square, coming into position. The music was a perfect match for the powerful couple. When the humming of strings broke the air, the lord soon began to lead Mari in the dance.

As they danced, Sakura couldn't help tap her hand to the beat of the quick tempo of the solo violin leading the piece, bobbing her head to every strong note played.

_It's so fast! _thought Sakura with amazement. Indeed, the people moved so quickly and rapidly, they appeared to have briefly lost their minds.

_Kakashi is definently not on the floor right now. _Sakura sighed with aggravation. _It requires too much effort on his part._

"Sakura?"

The jonin looked up to see Yuu offering his hand out to her, smiling softly. "Would you like to dance?"

Sakura thought briefly if going with Yuu was a good idea. Who knew what would happen to her if she went down on that crazy dance floor? It was a tempting thought and moving at all sounded excellent.

In the end she took his hand gratefully. The crowd widened slightly to allow dancing room for her and Yuu. As they began to move quickly through the fast paced music, Sakura found the reason why they ate such a light dinner. All of the twirling and foot stomping would have been too much for her if she had had anything bigger. She was having a good time though and spun around Yuu, laughing.

"You, sir, know how to dance!" exclaimed Sakura, twirling on the balls of her feet and she spun under Yuu's outstretched arm.

"You learn how to dance especially when you grow up in a family like mine." He brought her back in roughly only to let her leave again. His feet crossed beside hers and they swished against the ground, soles scuffing on the stone.

Sakura didn't understand why Yuu had told her to wear such a warm dress. She was melting! Then again, she was dancing fairly hard. Yuu looked like he had just stepped out of the dressing room, handling the exercise easily, or perhaps just ignoring it. Sakura briefly wondered just how sweaty and sticky she looked.

After awhile, Sakura began to forget about appearances, her mind totally focused on the footsteps and movements, all the while enjoying it. The song was growing increasingly faster and Sakura began to feel tired, but it was a good kind of tired. A large grin was on her face and she clapped loudly as her feet pounded against the ground along with the other hundreds of dancers.

"You holding up?" whispered Yuu heavily as he managed his footwork carefully, still keeping to the face paced music.

Sakura nodded and managed a small smile before Yuu spun her inwards and they exchanged places.

"I didn't know," said Sakura, gasping slightly, "how fast this song was at first! I don't think I can keep this up!"

It was true. Her throat was crying for water, but her mind was entirely enthralled with the dance.

"Don't worry," said Yuu, holding onto her hand, guiding her spins around him, "it slows down…"

The people around them obviously knew this. If Sakura had cared to notice, she would have seen the lust filled gazes of some of the couples as the violin stopped it's shrill play before being replaced by a deep thrum.

The song slowed to a primal drum beat and Sakura found herself moving against Yuu almost intimately. The deep rumbling of the drums shook the air around her, heating up what was an already intense dance. Sakura was slowly becoming intoxicated with the movements, Yuu's hands moving up her body without her even noticing. Yuu was speaking to her, but she didn't hear.

Those around her were also losing control, erotic exchanges being conducted between complete strangers. This, however, was completely natural in this dance. It was the Dance of Sin and it was the only time where lovers could publicly express any sort of intimacy. Everyone was involved, excluding the children who were ushered away for arts and crafts. Yuu had hoped he got the chance to dance with the female nin during this song. In fact, he had been looking forward to it since the first time he decided to ask her to be his date.

There were a few couples that could no longer keep their pent up emotions inside and quickly left the area to somewhere private. The song continued for most other people, especially the ones who were in it for the dance, not the intimacy. Sakura, thanks to her ignorance, was one of these people. Still, she couldn't reject the raw emotion of it all and was feeling the effects greatly. Her heart thundered in her chest and her hands roamed everywhere, trying to grab onto something to support herself. This was indeed a very intense dance, the most powerful and beautiful of them all.

The drums rumbled ferociously one last time and then things slowed down to an almost molasses like speed. Sakura's breath was heavy in her ears, Yuu's face close to her own. The lantern's lights were melding together and Sakura thought she might be drifting away into an alternate world.

_I wonder if Kakashi made it. I bet he would like this dance. It's so much fun. _

She closed her eyes and let herself sag against Yuu for a brief rest, copying many other couples. For a short time, she realized that the sun had disappeared completely and the night had grown cold. The sweat on her brow chilled quickly and made her shiver. Still, she moved sluggishly along with the song, joining the many others who moved, giving them the illusion that they moved like water. It was strange and it enthralled.

The violin was commanding the song once more and then the whole area was alive with energy, the sluggish and intimate dance burning away into almost animalistic foot pounding and spins. Sakura had never felt so thrilled and alive before and was laughing once again, loving every last moment.

Yuu grabbed onto both of her hands and they did a barrel roll, both spinning under each other's arms. Round and round they twirled, Yuu occasionally spinning Sakura in the air before bringing her back down to the ground. Their feet moved quickly, just barely grazing each other as they thumped against the ground. Grabbing her by the waist, he stepped to the side and lowered her parallel to the ground. He was granted a rather generous look at her chest before he pulled her back up and spun her out.

She twirled far right, leaving Yuu and was dancing with another man and another until her world was swirling with birds, cats, demons, and color. Everything changed so quickly and suddenly that Sakura had no idea where she was going. Her movements were commanded instinctively, causing her destination to become unpredictable. That was the nature of the dance. Her world kept spinning and spinning until the music finally slowed and stopped.

Once she finally stopped moving, she realized just how sucked into the song she had been. She was so tired, her breath coming out in near gasps. Her throat was dry and her limbs were heavy. She braced herself up against her new dance partner, trying to gather her breath.

"You alright?"

She barely heard his voice, but she nodded. She had nearly lost control. No, she _did _lose control. Looking back on it, she couldn't remember what exactly the dance had been like. All she knew was that she was tired and wasn't sure if she was still up to dancing.

Her vision whirling, she looked up at her new dance partner. This one wore the same white demon mask as the many others with only a few differences, but even so, this man was different than the others. He was intimidating, heart-stopping, and gave her the chills. Breathing in the smell of the forest, the new, slow music began, the female singer stepping up and coaxing a gentle ballad out of the charged air around them.

"I told you we would speak again," said Kakashi, guiding her through the slow dance. There would be no changing of partners this time, this song meant for only one dance partner.

Sakura was too tired for surprise, so she stared at him blankly. Her thoughts were still trying to unravel themselves after the crazy dance. Slowly, as each second passed by, she finally had a decent hold on her mind and sanity. Once she did, she realized that she was very, very tired. Eyes drooping, she let herself fall against him.

Sakura rested her head against his chest as they danced. All of the lovers and young couples had come onto the floor and were dancing together as well. There were so many people; the area was packed together, leaving hardly any room between couples. Many others were tired also after the animalistic dance and moved very slowly, each one trying to catch their breath.

Sakura was trying to gather her wits together, but she was slowly losing herself in the sensation of Kakashi so close to her. Deep within her mind, she knew there was something important she had to tell him, something that she just had to let him know. She couldn't possibly string a thought together though. She didn't even have the energy to be angry with him.

She loved being so close to him. It was wonderful. Her arms were curled around his torso, kept warm underneath his vest. His shirt was soft and held his wonderful, musky scent. She could focus all of her thoughts on him, Kakashi doing all of the moving for her.

"So Sakura," he murmured, guiding her through the steps, "what was it that you wanted to tell me?" His voice was deep and it rumbled in his chest. His hand was slowly sliding down her back, resting just above her bottom. She didn't notice, really, nor did she notice his fingers twitching against her body.

"Hm?" Sakura's eyes were closed and she was losing herself in the motion of their dance and his beating heart. It was almost surprising the effect he had on her. It was almost like he was a drug. She loved it and didn't care if she became addicted.

_No Sakura, you need to tell him what you saw!_

"Oh! Kakashi!" Sakura looked up at Kakashi, the urgency of everything ruining the moment between them. "Kakashi, I found something that you need to know!"

Kakashi stopped dancing and didn't reply but continued to stare down at her. Sakura had no idea what his expression was. His entire face was hidden behind his mask. She wanted to know though.

Suddenly, his arms were wound tightly around her and he was crushing her against his chest. Sakura's face flushed red, but she could not move. She could feel his strong muscles underneath the dark blue shirt he was wearing. Not to mention her stomach was flat against him, his body in complete contact with hers.

"Kakashi?" she managed with a small gasp.

"I'm glad…" he murmured softly, almost so softly that she couldn't hear, "I'm glad I'm not your sensei."

Sakura's eyes widened a fraction, then her mouth split into a smile.

She laughed lightly and they were dancing again, holding each other close. "Of course, but I should have stopped long ago."

Kakashi was silent, but it was obvious he was in a lighter mood. His steps were softer, his reactions quicker and his overall aura was bright.

"Although," said Sakura grumpily, "I am still angry with you for leaving me. You'd better not do that again or I might just have to be angry with you until I die."

Kakashi chuckled softly. "I do not plan on doing such a thing in the near future. And…" He stopped short, fumbling.

Sakura looked up. "Yes?"

He stopped dancing and was looking at the sky. Sakura waited patiently for him to speak, not at all minding.

_As long as he says it, I'm fine.._

"I'm sorry," he said finally, looking back down. "It was stupid of me. I won't do anything like that again."

"Good." Sakura smiled and hugged him tight, startling him. "Then I forgive you."

The two friends enjoyed their moment, both content after many long hours. It was a relief and Sakura was eternally thankful that they were able to get over it.

"Do it again and I swear to god I'll burn your books."

"Yes dear."

They laughed together but it was soon cut short by two siblings.

Sakura didn't need to see behind the pink wolf mask to know who it was. The sweet little voice and the plump red lips were all she needed to see to suddenly feel very sour.

"Well, well," said Yuriko, fisting her hands on her hips, "looks like the tomboy actually got dressed. Still…" She yawned and flicked her red locks. "I can see your lack of elegance. Your movements radiate manliness."

"Yuriko," said Yuu who had come up behind her, scowling, "you were lucky just to be able to get here. We wouldn't want another episode, now would we?"

If Yuriko's mask had been off, Sakura would have seen Yuriko go beet red. The moment passed soon and Yuriko was next to Kakashi, smiling at him.

"It's been a while," she said, smiling sweetly. Kakashi didn't answer her, only giving her a small nod. Yuriko looked irritated for a moment, but disappeared under a smile. "I haven't found a good dance partner yet," she said simply, gesturing to the crowd around her. "I was wondering if you would care to dance with me."

Kakashi almost immediately made a move to say no, but he stopped himself short. Sakura saw this and scowled slightly, but she knew why Kakashi refrained. There was no point in getting a spoiled heiress angry and whiny. That was bad sense.

Kakashi nodded and offered Yuriko his arm. She took it gratefully and led him into the throng of dancing people. With their departure, Sakura was left with Yuu who was happy to reunite with her after their split up.

"Thought I lost you," said Yuu as he and Sakura continued to dance. Louder music was playing now, meant for serious spinners.

"Nope, still here," said Sakura, twirling out and back into Yuu's arms. "That first dance sent me across the entire floor I think, not to mention sent me out of a sane mind." Sakura laughed lightly as Yuu spun her into the air. "That was a very intense dance. In fact, I really don't remember much."

"It's like that for first timers," said Yuu. "The Dance of Sin is the most intense and emotional of dances during the festival. I'm surprised you were able to last through it."

Sakura faltered, suddenly realizing the kind of dance she had shared with Yuu. Part of her was embarrassed while the other part of her was angry. She didn't want to share a dance like that with Yuu, she wanted to share it with…!

Sakura felt her cheeks flame red. _There you go, thinking those thoughts again!_

"You alright?"

Sakura looked up at Yuu and nodded slowly and continued to follow him through the traditional dance. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that I don't think I will be doing that again for a while."

Yuu laughed, but Sakura could tell it was more of a forced laugh. She ignored it and whatever implications lay behind it and continued to speak.

"I think I spun with nearly a dozen men after I was separated from you! I don't really remember much during that but I knew there was a whole lot of twirling. I would have gotten sick if it were not for…"

Sakura stopped and immediately she felt stupid. So, so, stupid.

"Dammit!" she cursed under her breath before pulling away from Yuu.

"Sakura?" Yuu reached for her, but she was already beginning to get lost in the massive amount of dancers. "Sakura! Sakura, where are you going?"

Sakura was trying to fight her way through all the townspeople, mentally berating herself over and over. She had been so caught up with Kakashi's body that she hadn't told him of what she had found that day!

_God Sakura, you can be so stupid! Aurgh!_

Trying to push past different people was proving to be hard though. There was so many different colors and voices that she couldn't make out which way was where. Quickly, she was losing her bearings.

"Dammit, screw this!" She took off her mask to allow herself better vision. "Kakashi!" She yelled above the crowd, but again her voice didn't carry at all. She tried again, calling on the top of her lungs. "Kakashi!"

No one paid her any heed, everyone drunk on wine and music. To her luck, she spotted a familiar shock of silver hair. She grunted and pushed a rather burly man out of the way so she could reach Kakashi and try to pair back up with him again.

There was a sudden scream, and then the whole area broke into chaos. Sakura had no time to react before she was brutally shoved to the side by a flung out arm. She fell to the ground, hitting the pavement with a loud smack. From her place on the ground, she could see an empty area through the hundreds of legs. She attempted to stand up, only to be knocked back down by a frantic woman pushing her way towards the far end of the square. Determined, she pushed off the ground and jumped high into the air. Below her, she could see a familiar head of silver. She landed and ran towards him.

"Kaka--" Her voice died and she stopped moving, staring in shock at the scene before her.

Kakashi was on his knees, his mask lying beside him. His shirt was stained with blood, the fabric torn at the side. Above him stood Yuriko, a dagger stained with blood in her hand. She was shaking and her mask was off, but her eyes were wild with adrenaline. Her front was splattered with blood, staining her pink dress.

"_Kakashi!!"_

Kakashi turned his head slowly towards her, his dark eye piercing hers. Then it closed and he fell forward to the ground, still.

"_KAKASHI!!_" She ran forward only to be stopped by Drein who had appeared to have come out of nowhere. She stared up at him in horror and he grinned at her.

"Well well, look what we have here." His grin widened impossibly, showing off tar stained teeth. "Glad you could join the party."

Sakura had just enough time to register Drein was about to swing out to clip her on the side of the face. She dropped to the ground, his fist swinging through air. Still crouched, she jumped backwards, skidding against the ground to stop.

Yuriko backed up far from her, clutching onto her dagger with a vice like grip. Sakura didn't spare a passing glance at her, her attention trained solely on Drein. Yuriko didn't pose as a threat, but she still fueled Sakura's anger. She would pay for what she did.

"So," said Sakura, clenching her fists, "you're working with Yuriko then, Drein? I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The pathetic always seem to flock together."

Yuriko's face turned red with anger as did Drein. Yuriko made a move to come after Sakura, but the older man stopped her with a stern look. Yuriko came to a halt and moved back to where she was, but she still glared at Sakura with as much hate as she could muster.

"Say whatever you want," said Drein, "but it doesn't change the fact that you are outnumbered. You can't win."

He was right, she was outnumbered. She could hardly count Yuriko dangerous, but… Her eyes flickered to Kakashi's prone body, a pool of blood forming around him. A sudden rage consumed her and she turned to Yuriko, the urge to destroy burning within her body.

"I'll kill you!" she screamed, pushing off the ground into a run, chakra condensing around her fists. She would knock that pretty head right off her shoulders. Rocks flying behind her as she ran, she lashed out towards the red head, only to be stopped by Drein who had blocked the blow to the best of his ability. He was far from dead, but he was sent skidding across the clearing, nearly crashing into Yuriko.

Drein rubbed his forearms where the punch had connected. "I guess Vighan was right, you are stronger than you look."

Any coherent thoughts in Sakura's mind screeched to a halt. She paled at the name, memories swarming. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"…Vighan?"

Drein smirked. Her defenses were down. "That's right. You know, he's been keeping his eye on you for a while now. He was surprised that you couldn't figure out it was him. He thought you were smarter than that."

Sakura didn't even have the mind to be angry at the insult. Her thoughts were focused on other things.

"But…" she fought for words, "but he's…"

_There was no way! It can't be him, it just can't! _

There was a movement and Sakura looked up to see Drein towering over her. Her eyes widened, knowing that she couldn't dodge any blow, even if she wanted to.

"Nighty night."

She had no chance. There was a sharp stinging, then her body became like lead. She fell to the ground, her body shutting down. Slowly, she felt darkness close in around her vision. The last thing she saw was the still form of Kakashi. Then, nothing.

--


	12. Capture and Revelations

--

Yuu tried valiantly to follow Sakura after she had so suddenly left him, but it was proving to be a task that was impossible. There were just too many spinning arms, too many masked faces. He continued forward to the best of his ability, occasionally spotting a familiar pink head, but each time she always seemed to disappear.

Cursing softly, he tried a different direction. Perhaps if he went around, he would be able to meet Sakura in the middle. With that in mind, he weaved his way towards the right, a mission that was much easier.

He spotted Kakashi and Yuriko dancing together. They were close to each other, too close for anything besides intimacy. Yuriko's left arm was draped over Kakashi's shoulder, her other hand brushing suggestively down her front. Kakashi's eyes flickered down for the barest of moments, following the young girl's pale fingers before abruptly shooting back up and away from her figure.

Yuu stopped his search for Sakura. Anger burned within him until it threatened to consume. All he could see was the distinct pleasure of Kakashi keeling over as Yuu mentally castrated him. He would first separate them, and then he would go about carrying out his wonderful fantasy. Yes, that sounded perfectly all right.

When he went to go break them apart, he was pushed roughly to the side by some unseen man. He lurched over and nearly collided into a couple. He faltered for a moment before gathering what shreds of dignity were around him and fixed them a very cold and annoyed glare, just daring them to say something.

He swore he could feel their glares behind their masks before they shuffled away from their intruder, but to his satisfaction they remained quiet. He raised an eyebrow for good measure as he watched them leave. Inwardly he smirked. He still had it.

When he straightened himself, he was shocked to see that Kakashi and Yuriko had both disappeared. Yuu growled and scanned the area around him for the two dancers. He had no idea where they had gone, but he would find them.

Without any warning, screams and shouts erupted from the crowd. Before he had any time to react, his vision was filled with flaying hands, terror filled eyes, and the blur of dozens of colors. He felt himself being swept away with the crowd, drug further from whatever they were running from.

_What the hell is going on? _was all that Yuu could mentally speak before he was abruptly interrupted when a well placed elbow clocked him on the side of his head. Stars spun in his vision as he wavered on his feet. He clutched his head and looked around, planting himself firmly to the ground so that he wouldn't get drug down and trampled to death.

In the distance, there was a rumbling, ripping roar, then small rocks and pebbles began to fall from the sky, whistling softly until they landed sharply and swiftly on the unprotected skin of the people. Cries erupted, arms rose to protect themselves. Yuu himself nearly lost an eye until, at the last moment, brought up his heavily clothed arm to deflect the dangerous shrapnel.

"Honey? Yuriko? Yuu?" Mari was within the gazebo, guards standing in the front to prevent anyone from entering. Scanning the crowd with worried eyes, she called out to her family again.

"Mother!" Yuu waved his hand, catching the frightened woman's attention. With a wave of her hand, one of the guards left his post and began to push through the mass of people to pull Yuu closer to the gazebo. Yuu took the man's hand gratefully and tugged himself free. His mother gathered him in her arms, kissing his forehead.

"I'm glad you're alright. Just what in the world is going on?" She pulled away from Yuu and looked back over the crowd, scanning it feverishly.

"Where is your sister? What happened to your father?" Tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh, I hope they're alright!"

Yuu remained silent, unable to give her an answer. Indeed, what _had _happened to them? Even as he thought this, he couldn't help but look for a familiar pink head, but it was not to be found.

"Oh my!"

His mother's surprised cry startled him to attention. She pointed with a trembling finger to a rather large pool of blood at the far end of the town square along with a small, jagged trench that had appeared out of nowhere on the stone. Briefly, a small, still functioning part of his mind told him that was where the rocks had come from, but all that was washed away under the sight of the red stain seeping into the stone.

"What the…? Guards! Come with me!" He stepped briskly across the ground, pushing past the remaining crowd, unable to quell the uneasy feeling inside his heart. He couldn't help but feel, couldn't help but notice, just who was missing.

_Don't let it be…_

* * *

The crackling of fire was the first thing that Sakura heard. She kept her eyes shut, not wanting anyone to know that she was awake. Instead, she listened for any forms of life. There was nothing except the occasional movement of stone against stone or the small sounds that always came with the shadows. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes. 

She might as well have kept them closed. The entire room was on the brink of total darkness, only the dimmest of light flickering at the very far edge of the room. She tried to sit up, but her body refused to budge. She tried again, failing once more to move.

_What the-?_

Then, she remembered Drein stabbing her with something. She realized she had been injected with poison, paralyzing her entire body.

_What a cheap shot, _was the first thing that came to her mind. If she could, she would have stomped her foot in annoyance, but that wasn't going to happen. So instead, she opted for a string of very colorful words before she was satisfied. Ending her tirade with _cheating, foul-smelling bastard,_ she accepted the situation and let herself relax against the straw bed she was laying on.

She went over the events in her head, recalling every small detail. The stinging, Drein's smile, Yuriko's crazed eyes, the blood covered dagger…

Sakura's eyes opened only slightly, but tears were already welling on the rims of her eyes. Kakashi had fallen and Sakura couldn't help but assume the worst.

_He's gone! _her thoughts cried out. _He's gone and there was nothing I could do!_

The rational part of her mind refused to jump to conclusions. Mentally, she smacked some sense into herself. She didn't know for sure. All she knew was that he was injured. She did not see him die.

_He might still be alive._

She began to calm herself. She didn't want her thoughts to become jumbled and thrown into disarray under stress. She needed to relax. If she didn't do that, then all she would end up doing is freaking out, possibly drawing unwanted attention.

She breathed, in and out, in and out, before her mind settled to some semblance of order. _Ah,_ _much better. _She allowed herself a small mental pat on the back before turning her mind back to her current state of affairs.

_Okay, _she told herself. _Let's go over the situation:_

_Problem one: I am in a cell. _What a cell it was. It appeared to be carved into living stone, the walls bumpy and rough. There even seemed to be a small trickle of water running down to the right of the room. She could assume that she was underground. Which was bad.

_Problem two: I can't move. _That was certainly a pickle. Not moving would definitely make her escape all the more difficult. She would have to fix that.

_Problem three: I can't use my chakra. _Also bad and very frustrating. She tested her body again, but the flowing ebb of her spiritual energy had suddenly halted, as if frozen in a state of time.

No, it wasn't that elegant or wonderfully fantastical. It was more like her chakra had turned into unmanageable, ineffectual snot and it had clogged every part of her being. Yes, that sounded about right.

_My chakra has become boogers. Well, that isn't very good. _Had Tsunade-sensei ever told her how to cure boogeritis? Not that she could recall. She would have to ask next time she saw her.

_Problem four: Kakashi is dead._

And somewhere, deep inside in what was most likely her heart, something began to crack and threatened to utterly shatter.

An echo of a door opened in the distance, the hinges creaking. Sakura closed her eyes and stilled her breath, feigning sleep. The sound of footsteps caused her heart to race but she kept still. The figure grew closer and closer until she could hear his breathing. It was slow and even and in control.

Then he turned away, heading down a different direction. There was a sound of a key turning in a lock and then the screech of a door opening.

"Awake?" said the figure, his voice just barely audible. Sakura couldn't fully understand what he was saying, but she knew who the voice was.

_Drein._

_You're a dead man, Drein! _screamed Inner Sakura. _You are sooo _dead! Normal Sakura had to quash Inner Sakura quite soundly so that she didn't suddenly begin to scream obscenities at the man. She continued to listen in.

There was another voice, but this one was a low murmur, leaving nothing for Sakura to try and figure out. Drein laughed at whatever the other person said, his chuckle echoing. "Well, we'll see about that." The door shut again and Drein was coming towards her. The door to her own prison opened and Drein approached her. He stopped just before her feet. Sakura heard him kneel to the ground and slowly he moved above her until she could feel the heat from his body warming her own.

_Dear god… _Sakura was shaking and she was trying to keep down the vomit that threatened to rise.

Drein obviously knew she was awake now. He chuckled and brushed his hand along her cheek. "Do you know," murmured Drein into her hair, "how beautiful you look when you're so helpless?"

Inner Sakura was a rage now and Normal Sakura couldn't exactly suppress her anymore, nor did she have the desire to. Perhaps her other self would deal with this horrible, stinking, cheating bastard above her.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Go fuck yourself," she spat, venom lacing her words.

The moment she said it, she regretted it greatly. She wasn't exactly in the position to say such horrible things, but _apparently _Inner Sakura didn't have the capacity to understand this.

Even though her eyes remained filled with hate and malice, a cold fear began to creep its way into her throat until it threatened to turn into a cry.

Drein pulled away and smirked at her. His caress became a fist and he punched her jaw. Sakura felt something pop and soon her head was humming with pain. Her vision blurred, Drein fading in and out of her line of sight. Within the buzz in her head, she thought she heard herself moaning.

"Don't be stupid," growled Drein, grabbing her hands and pinning them above her head. "You're not in the position to piss off. So just lay there and be a good girl."

Sakura didn't know what he said, her mind fully occupied with her hurting jaw. She could barely form a thought, constantly slipping between the line of consciousness and unconsciousness. Even when Drein continued to touch her, she didn't register it.

_Sleep… Just go to sleep…_

"Get off her," said a voice from the other side of the room. Drein pulled away immediately, leaving Sakura exposed to anyone who wished to see.

"Sir," mumbled Drein. He sounded almost scared as if he was a child who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"I don't think I told you that you could help yourself to the prisoners, now did I?" The voice was obviously angry, his words sharp and low.

"No sir."

"Then get out of here."

There was the sound of footsteps and a door opening and closing. Then, there was only silence. Sakura didn't know what was going on but she was deathly sick. Turning her head, she retched, the pain too much for her. Not able to wipe her mouth, she looked up. Through her blurred vision, she saw that the man was looking down at her. He was familiar and somewhere deep within her mind, everything became clear.

"Vighan."

"Sakura."

Sakura wavered for a second more until her body gave into its pain. She began to slip back into the darkness, hearing Vighan depart before totally going under.

* * *

In Sakura's World, there was no prison, there was no Drein, there was no Vighan, there was no vomit, and there was definitely no booger chakra. In Sakura's World, there were plum trees, blue skies, and cherry blossoms that fell like rain. It was all perfectly wonderful, so Sakura danced and danced, spinning under the pink petals in the sky, happy and content. 

"Sakura."

_Ah, that's right._ In Sakura's World, Kakashi was alive and he had a fetish for being shirtless which, on Sakura's part, she found to be a perfectly acceptable obsession. She turned to the voice, and of course, Kakashi stood there, glorious chest shinning beneath the smiling sun.

"Kakashi," she said, not at all feeling embarrassed about staring at him. It was _her _world; she could do whatever she pleased. "You look positively dashing today. Just where did you get that six pack?"

"Oh this?" he gestured down to his mid section. "I was just trying it on. Is it too much?"

"Oh no," assured Sakura. "It suits you well."

"Wonderful. Then I believe I shall keep it."

"Fantastic. Now, would you be so kind as to come over here and ravish me?"

Usually, Kakashi would be happy to comply and would do just that, but today was different. Today in Sakura's World, Kakashi decided that he would rather act differently.

"Sakura," he said, his face falling into concern.

Sakura frowned at him, not at all liking this turn of events. She was supposed to be shirtless and he was supposed to be nibbling her ear. He _wasn't _supposed to be looking at her with such worry.

"What?" she asked, impatient and frustrated. Really, in Her World, Her Kakashi shouldn't be acting so strange.

"Sakura," he said again, much more earnest.

Just what exactly was wrong with him? She decided to ask.

"Just what exactly is wrong with you?"

"Sakura!"

And then her world fell away, spinning, spinning, until it folded into itself and disappeared, leaving Sakura with Reality's World. And she hated Reality because it was bitter, cold, cruel, and it was severely lacking in shirtless Kakashies.

But.

"Sakura!"

Sakura's eyes fluttered open. Her senses were overwhelmed with pain and the sickly stench of vomit. Her mouth opened to reply, but all that came out was a raspy breath. She tried to moisten her mouth with what saliva she had left, but it was useless.

"Sakura, are you alright?"

_That voice, I know that voice. I know it, I know it, it's his, I know it…_

"Yes," managed Sakura. She twitched in pain. Talking was going to be a hard task, her jaw far from healed. She coughed dryly, a whooping cough. "Yes, I'm alright," she said a little more strongly this time.

_You're a little liar. You are not alright. But he is alive so you must be okay because when he is alive, life is more than okay. Yes, you are okay. You are very okay._

"I'm okay."

Her voice still sounded and felt like sandpaper, but she was able to communicate. She tried to move her body and to her relief, she was mobile. Her head still hurt so she moved slowly as to not throw up again. Sitting up, she got to her knees and crawled towards the bars on the far side of the room. Resting her forehead against the cool metal, she said weakly, "Kakashi, is that you?"

"Yes."

She looked to see where the source of his voice was. He was in the cell across from her. She couldn't see him, the door made of solid steel unlike her barred prison. He was alive though and that was all that mattered. Relief welled within her heart, and for a moment, she wanted to cry.

"I thought you were dead." She managed to say, overwhelmed. "When I saw you on the ground… When I saw the blood, I…" Her throat clenched up and broke away into the slightest of sobs. She was happy – _thrilled _– that Kakashi was alive, but recalling the feeling of his death, the idea she would never see him again, speak to him, or just be near him made her world feel utterly lost and unlivable.

Kakashi laughed, but Sakura could tell there was pain laced within his voice. "Yeah, for a moment there, I thought that too, but somebody patched me up. I guess they want me alive."

He growled, suddenly very angry. A certain red-head filled his vision, recalling the moment when she reached down into her kimono and pulled out the stupid little dagger that had stupidly brought him down.

His fists clenched.

"That little bitch. I had no time to react. One minute I'm dancing, and the next a dagger is half way into my chest." Sakura could just imagine the exasperated look in his eye as he recalled his rather embarrassing defeat. She wondered if he would ever forgive himself for it.

A second later, she decided that he wouldn't.

He sighed deeply, easing the weight of his mistake. "If – when-" he corrected himself quickly, "we get out of here, I'll make sure to thank her properly."

"I'll remind you."

He laughed weakly before sighing deeply once more. There was a heavy silence before Kakashi spoke again. "I heard Drein. Did he…?" A hidden question lie beneath his words and Sakura could have sworn she heard some hidden emotion within those, but then again her head was hurting rather badly, so she brushed it off.

"No," said Sakura weakly. "But he hurt my jaw bad. In fact," Sakura chuckled scathingly, "talking right now hurts."

"Then don't talk," scolded Kakashi. "We're in a bad enough predicament as it is."

"No," said Sakura quickly. "I need to tell you something. I know what's going on here."

There was silence, then, "You do? How?"

"Because," said Sakura, sighing, "I know the leader. You know that mission I went on? The long three year one?"

"Yes."

"Well, he was the person I was assigned to protect. His name is Vighan. At first, things were alright, but then he betrayed me. He went behind my back and began to conduct illegal business with a group of people called the Rebelle-"

"Wait, what did you say?" Kakashi sounded excited, almost shocked. Sakura shifted, curious.

"I said the Rebelle. What, does that sound familiar?"

"I found a letter," said Kakashi, growing weary, "inside Atsushi's study. It talked about the Rebelle."

Sakura nodded slowly. She closed her eyes, sinking against the cool bars of her cell. She was growing sick again. "The Rebelle are a group of people who do illegal trade in weapons, sending them all across the land. Their goal is to entice another war, giving them a marketing advantage." Sakura swallowed again. It was getting harder to talk. "I… I did some snooping in Drein's shop. I found different scrolls and disguises. I even found copies of the ring we found in the forest."

"But if that's true, then that means…" Kakashi slumped against the wall. He didn't want to believe it initially, but now there was no fighting the truth.

"Atsushi." He said the name sadly. What respect he had for him dwindled to nothing. "He's been sending those weapons, giving them funds, everything that a secret organization like this needs. And in return…"

"…The Rebelle gave them power." Sakura nodded slowly, eyes drooping. "Yeah. I know." Sadness began to overcome her. She just couldn't see Atsushi doing such a thing. He seemed like a sensible man. Why would he stoop so low? Was being a farmer really all that bad?

There was a screaming in the distance, the agonizing shriek bounding and rebounding off the walls, spreading its unbearable pain throughout the area and into Sakura's senses. Sadness was slowly being replaced by fear. What was going to happen? How were they going to get out? _Were _they going to get out? Kakashi said that they would, and she, too, believed that they would, but she didn't necessarily believe that they would get out _alive. _Ninja in this position hardly ever escaped.

Perhaps Naruto could. He always seemed to defy all logic and sense, ignore all laws of captor and captee, and jump out of any impossible situation, his fierce spirit intact.

What Sakura would give up right now to be him. But she could never be him and as the seconds ticked by, she realized that perhaps… perhaps this was the end. She and Kakashi were going to die here, rotting away in these cages, so many words left unspoken-

Sakura suppressed a snort. _Stupid little romantic self-_

- so many deeds left undone. They were stuck and unless there was some shinning miracle or Naruto suddenly crashed through the wall to save them, they weren't going to go anywhere.

Further she spiraled down, down into the pits of her sorrowful self. A small voice in the back of her head was screaming, _"You're being over dramatic! You can get out of this!"_ but she was ignoring it, refusing to get off of her pity pot. She wasn't going to blind herself with false hopes. No, she wouldn't allow herself to do that.

"_But,"_ the little voice chirped, _"you have Kakashi!"_

A spark of hope flickered. Yes, she did have Kakashi. There was always Kakashi. There was no way that he would let them die. He would get them out.

Imagining him, seeing him go through so many of their old trials, playing each and every one of them into her head, she felt freedom become all the more possible. Resolved, she felt herself awaken a little more, straighten her back just a bit, and suddenly she was back in the cell, away from the dark crevices of her mind.

But even though there was some heroic flash to her thoughts, her jaw decided to remind her just what situation she was still in. Pain lanced up and down the side of her face as she moved to speak. Her breath hitched, and for a moment, she couldn't breathe.

"Sakura?" Kakashi had heard her intake of breath and was worried.

"Kakashi…" she stared slowly, not wanting to upset her mouth more that needed, "what are we going to do? I'm really hurting right now and I've been given something that's stunted my chakra. I've only just begun to move."

"Me too." Kakashi sighed heavily. "I… I don't know what we're going to do, Sakura, not right now. We'll have to wait for our moment to act. For the time being, we're going to have to stick it out."

"Kakashi…" Sakura was tired, hurt, smelled like vomit, and trapped like an animal in a cage. She was at the mercy of one of the worst people she ever knew _again_, and she couldn't reach Kakashi.

The thought of home was never stronger.

"…I'm scared."

"Don't worry, Sakura. Things will work out in the end."

"You promise?"

A slight pause. "I promise."

Sakura relaxed and sank to the ground. She must have made a lot of noise because Kakashi was calling her name again. She didn't care at that point. She was in pain and she needed sleep. Besides, Kakashi had promised things would be alright. She could rest easy holding that assurance close to her heart.

Kakashi had promised things would be alright in the end. He didn't say anything about the road that came before it.

* * *

Sakura woke up with dirty water being thrown into her face. She sputtered, but didn't move, no strength to get up. Her cheek flat to the muddy floor, she looked up through foam covered bangs to see Drein standing on the other side of the door, a bucket in his hands. 

"Wakey, wakey." He smiled down at her, his teeth stained yellow with tobacco. "You ready to have some more fun?" The door to the cell creaked open and the man stepped in, smirking down at her. Sakura closed her eyes as the first of many boots to come came crashing down onto her back.

_I believe you, Kakashi. _The boot came down again, cracking a rib. _Things will be alright in the end._

* * *

Drein stood outside of Vighan's office, his forehead beaded with sweat. He was nervous, but he had every right to be. When he received the message that the leader of the Rebelle wanted to meet him, he was told that Vighan was not pleased. What had he done? He couldn't recall anything from the top of his head. Maybe he had said something to offend him. That was more likely than any of the other far fetched rumors spreading around. 

He wiped his brow with the back of his head, steeling his face. His hand hovered over the door for the barest of moments before knocking.

"Come in."

Drein pushed open the door slowly, peering around the edge. Vighan sat behind his desk looking over papers silently. Even in their current setting, with tan walls, beautiful painting lining the walls, ancient artifacts sitting silently on oak desks, and warm lighting, Vighan looked cold and intimidating as usual. Medium length brown hair feathered his head, high cheekbones as pale as ever. A rope like scar began just below his ear and wrapped around his neck and disappeared into the sleeve of his right shoulder. Drein never asked about the scar, and he didn't want to ask. Nobody did.

Blue eyes like ice pierced his own. He stilled and inclined his head with respect. Looking back up, he saw that Vighan was indeed angry. It was all in his gaze.

"It has come to my attention," he began slowly, steepling his fingers, "you have been torturing one of our prisoners. It may just be me, but if I remember correctly, I said for you to _not _torture this particular prisoner unless she misbehaved. It seems that she has _not _done anything to deserve this punishment. Why, may I ask, have you decided she should be punished?"

Drein swallowed thickly, knowing full well that he didn't have a reason besides the fact he hated the smart ass. "I… I'm sorry, sir. I don't…" He bowed lower, humbling himself in hopes that he would be forgiven. "I won't do it again."

Vighan looked at him critically before relaxing back into his chair. "Stand up," he said, already back to looking at his papers. "You best stay true to your word. I won't be so lenient next time."

"Yes, sir." Drein straightened, relieved. "Thank you, sir."

Vighan ignored him, so Drein took that as a signal to leave. Bowing one last time, he left the study, counting his lucky stars that he had been spared. A part of him was bitter even in the face of Vighan's mercy.

"That lucky little bitch. Just you wait…" Drein stormed down the hall, pushing past anyone who passed him without a second glance. His destination was the dungeons. If he couldn't hurt her, then he'd take out his anger on another prisoner. There were plenty other scumbags to turn into an effective punching bag.

* * *

Sakura's eyes cracked open. The fire continued to flicker, but it did nothing to drive away the oppressing darkness lurking in the corner in which she sat. She shifted and gasped in pain. She stilled, waiting for the sharp feeling to disappear from her chest. She relaxed slowly against the wall when it passed. "Damn Drein…" She would make the man pay just as soon as she got out of there. 

Scanning the area around her, she saw that someone had brought in a tray. It had rice with chopsticks sticking firmly out, an apple, and a pitcher of what she assumed was water. Next to it was a bucket where she guessed she was supposed to go to the bathroom in. Only until she saw the setup did she realize that she was hungry. It was ironic and nearly cruel that the tray of food was on the far side of her cell. She would have to get up and move if she really wanted to eat.

_Come on legs, _she scolded, mentally waggling her finger at them, _you mustn't be so stubborn. I am very hungry._

Her legs were not moved and continued to ache and refused to budge. Sakura entertained the idea of her walking on her hands instead, but quickly squashed it, seeing her arms were just as tired as her legs.

"Well," she said to no one in particular, "I suppose I'll just have to use my mind powers to levitate the food over here."

Sakura briefly wondered if she had gone insane. It wasn't as if it wasn't impossible. She had been sitting in this cell for some odd days, and each time she woke up from whatever horrible dreams she had, she wanted to scream. Her environment was lacking in anything upbeat. It was only until she saw the tray of food that she had felt any tinge of positive thought.

Her stomach growled and suddenly it took over. Even her brain bowed underneath its superiority. Taking control of her body, her stomach slowly moved her towards the tray, blocking out any or all sensations that were not directly involved with her and eating food.

After what seemed like an awfully long time, she got to the tray. With trembling fingers, she reached for the bowl of rice and gingerly picked it up as if it were the most treasured artifact in the known and unknown universe.

"_Food._" She grunted. It was as if she had skipped backwards down the evolution chain and had reverted to her cavewoman origins. She was even having difficulty holding her chopsticks, something she was sure a cavewoman wouldn't use. She giggled at the thought and returned to eating.

After the third time the sticks fell from her hands, she was no longer humored. Her hands were shaky from Drein's last beating and each time she managed to get a small clump of rice, her wavering hands would promptly shake off what food she had.

One last try and she was fed up. She screamed through her teeth in frustration and tossed the offending chopsticks far away from her. She didn't need them, she decided, looking back at her bowl of rice.

Besides, chopsticks were overrated.

"Having trouble with something?" came Kakashi's voice from inside his cell. Sakura ignored him, not in the mood for his teasing humor. Instead, she stuck her index and middle fingers of her right hand into her mouth, cleaned them, and spat out whatever mess and dirt she had washed off onto the floor. Then she used her fingers as a makeshift spoon and scooped up a healthy helping of rice. Happily – and loudly – she shoved the food into her mouth and chewed vigorously.

_Oh I love rice. It's so good and delicious. I think that rice has become my new favorite food. Yes, I think it has. Perhaps I should have an annual rice party. Yup, sounds great. I think I'll invite everybody, but I Naruto will be less than pleased, seeing that it's not ramen. Ah well, he just doesn't have any idea just how great rice is…_

She was so busy at planning what kind of decorations she would be using when she heard the almost too quiet voice of Kakashi from behind his cell door.

"Is that… Are you eating?"

Sakura stopped chewing. Yes, she was about to say, of course I am eating. But that tone to his voice, that envious hunger, had stopped her rather quickly. Had he eaten anything? Surely they would have given him something. They must have.

Remembering she had a full mouth, she swallowed before speaking. "Um… Have you, uh, gotten anything to eat?"

There was a silence, then, "So you are eating."

"Well," she started out hesitantly, "um, yes. I am."

There was pregnant pause that was only broken when Kakashi suddenly bit out a very bitter, very angry laugh.

Sakura nearly dropped her bowl at the sound. Never before had she heard such a tone with him. It was so dark, so uncomforting, so _self-absorbed… _

So unlike him.

"I should be happy that you have been given what you have," he said, not at all losing his biting edge, "and intellectually, that seems the most logical choice. Even my concern for you is happy that you are staying well fed. But," and he laughed again, causing Sakura to shudder not at all pleasantly, "there is a part of me that is extremely, utterly jealous, and perhaps far too angry for it's own good. What's worse, I think my anger is directed in the worst way towards the wrong person."

Sakura was looking down at her bowl of food and suddenly, she hated rice.

_I hate you, _she told the food. _You are horrible, unkind, unfair, and you make me want to _cry…

But it wasn't the rice's fault. It wasn't even _her _fault, and she knew it. It was all because Kakashi was angry that he didn't have what she had and for some strange, uncomforting reason, she felt sad because of it.

Was this really how he was? If that was the case, then she had definitely chosen the wrong guy to-

_Stop. _

Sakura's thoughts stopped.

_Just what exactly are you _thinking? _What would _you _be feeling if you weren't given food for almost a week and in the cell across from you, your very confusing, awkward friend was munching happily?_

_Well, _her thoughts answered, _I believe I would be pissed._

How dare she judge him? She felt horrible for even beginning to think that somehow Kakashi was not the man she thought he was. _Besides, _she thought, glancing over to the solid steel door that kept Kakashi prisoner, _this place can do weird things to a person._

_Like turn your chakra into snot._

An idea flittered into her head. Carefully setting down her bowl as not to tip out its contents, she shuffled back over to her tray. She ignored the pitcher of water and instead wrapped her fingers around the shinning red apple. It was hard and ripe and Sakura could just imagine her teeth biting into its crisp flesh, juice running down her lips, tongue happily dancing at the sweet, luscious taste-

Sakura was just about to take a bite when she realized that this was not, in fact, her apple. A minute ago it had become someone else's apple and it was very rude to eat someone else's food.

_But…! _whined Inner Sakura.

_Shush you! _Normal Sakura chided. _Besides, you know this is for the best, right?_

_Right._

But apples were _extremely _tasty…

She acted fast so she didn't suddenly give into her desires. She made her way quickly back to the bars of her cage and, with only the barest of moments to concentrate, she tossed the apple into the air.

It sailed neatly, silently, and for a split second, shone happily in the firelight. Then it disappeared behind Kakashi's door, slipping in neatly through the small barred window at the top.

There was an, "Ow!" and Sakura found herself in a whirlwind of thoughts.

_Oh, I think I hit him! At least it didn't hit the ground and bruise, or worse. I hope he likes it. I really, really hope he likes it. I really, really, hope that I didn't hit him too hard._

Sakura waited with bated breath for a reaction. And waited. And waited. And after a full minute of waiting she thought that she might expire because she hadn't taken in any air.

_Please say something before my lungs explode!_

There was the beginnings of something said that reached Sakura's ears, but the voice that had said it was so raspy and unbelievably shocked that it couldn't finish what it had said.

Then, a sound she didn't expect.

Laughter.

Kakashi was laughing, but it wasn't dark, scornful laughter. It was happy laughter, albeit tinged with lingering surprise. Sakura listened and she couldn't help but laugh with him. The two shared the moment of happiness, both forgetting just what world they were in. Then the laughter died, leaving Sakura feeling warm and bubbly.

"Well," said Kakashi, a dying chuckle lacing his voice, "this is certainly a surprise, but a most welcome one. Although, I think you have given me a pretty, nicely sized goose egg on the top of my head."

Sakura wrinkled her nose at him, peeved, but all the while loving it. _That _was the Kakashi she knew. _That _was her sensei that had taught her so many things that didn't always include ninja form. _That _was the man that had somehow, some way made her confused and happy all at the same time.

And she loved it.

"Well," she huffed, crossing her arms, "it's not like I can exactly aim so I don't hit you. Besides, that goose egg is a small casualty. Just be happy with your apple. You were lucky to get it. I almost ate it."

There was another silence and Sakura waited for him to answer. He didn't so Sakura decided to be snarky.

"Well, what do you say?"

More silence. Sakura wondered if perhaps she _had _hit him too hard and was now face down on the floor, unconscious.

_That wouldn't be too good, _she thought to herself with a cringe. _Who will I talk to now? I suppose I could imagine having a conversation with him-_

"Thank you."

Sakura started, her heart stilling.

Now, Thank You wasn't a very romantic and erotic set of words. No, that was far from the truth, and if they were, there would be a very serious problem concerning overpopulation, seeing Thank You was an extremely common phrase.

To Sakura, however, it made a slow hunger burn within her abdomen and suddenly, all her thoughts of him came rushing to the forefront of her mind. She felt physically struck by the force of it all.

No, it hadn't been the words. It had been how he said it.

Exhaustion, undying relief, everlasting thanks, and some unknown emotion that burned her soul and mind so thoroughly, she couldn't think, feel, or hear anything, only the thudding of her heart that had so suddenly begin to race.

It was as if within those words, there was an alternate world where she and Kakashi were together and he was holding her, kissing her, _worshiping her, _for her small token of kindness.

_Thank you, thank you, thank you…_

"You're welcome," she said feebly.

Then the world shattered at the crunch of the apple as Kakashi bit hungrily into it. Sakura had to physically shake herself before she realized that Kakashi was, in fact, not kissing her neck.

It saddened her.

Sakura heard Kakashi eating greedily and almost laughed, but so overcome by her thoughts, she decided that laughing wouldn't exactly fit right in her situation. Instead, she plopped down onto the ground and finished up her rice, chewing methodically, not really tasting anything. Even when Kakashi had finished and said thank you once more, even when her fingers scraped the empty bottom of her bowl, did she not move. She was so entirely lost in her thoughts that the world around her seemed to grow very quiet and almost dead.

Within her thoughts, she was very much alive, and very much alarmed.

_Okay, _she started calmly, _so you think that Kakashi is hot and you want to pounce on him. Big deal. Every girl goes through that stage._

_But I thought that we already went over this, _her other voice said. _You said that this was just a phase, but it's becoming a very long one. Clearly this is getting out of hand. If this is a phase, than it's a very bad one that requires intervention, perhaps at a mental institute._

She agreed.

_So then, _she began again, talking to her mirror image self, _what is it?_

Her mirror image quirked an eyebrow at her, thoroughly fed up at her other self's ignorance. _Isn't it obvious?_

And there it was. The answer she had been avoiding and was now avoiding. It lay hidden beneath her mind, locked away. She had put those locks there herself and now watched with some sort of annoyed helplessness, those self same locks rust and fall to the ground.

And as if the answer had a mind of its own – which Sakura was most certain that it did – she began to feel herself being pulled towards what she had tried so _hard _to avoid.

Her arms flailed, her mind screamed, and she clawed away from the truth, digging her nails into the ground. It couldn't be, and if it was, she could not know. It would ruin everything. It would ruin him. It would ruin _her_. So she fought and fought and at the last moment broke away-

-but it was not meant to be. The truth leapt upon her like a leopard that has finally caught its prey and it dug its claws deep into her heart.

Sakura's eyes widened fractionally and stared down into her empty bowl.

_So I like him. Big deal._

But it was a big deal and she knew it. She liked him, perhaps even, possibly, _maybe, _liked him more than she cared to let on, and even though she was looking at the truth, she still somehow knew she was lying to herself.

She didn't just _like _him. The feeling was too strong for that. But she didn't dare admit what the other possibility could be.

_No, that's impossible. Clearly I am overreacting because that is a very stupid, highly unlikely thought. Extremely silly._

She mentally sighed

There was no point in denying it, but she couldn't help but to do so, still fighting against the leopard even though she was now sitting in it's stomach, thoroughly chewed and being digested.

_Yup, no big deal._

Well now they _had _to get out of his godforsaken place so she could further explore this new discovery. She had no intention to talk to Kakashi about it in their current location, nor anywhere, but at least if she was out, she'd be able to do _something _about it.

Sakura snorted. She could see the never-going-to-happen conversation now.

"_Kakashi, it seems that I have grown to like you far beyond the bounds of friendship."_

"_Oh really? When did this happen?"_

"_I believe it began some time in River's Bend, although I'm not quite sure."_

"_Wow, you've been harboring feelings for me for that long? I'm surprised you haven't exploded into millions of tiny pieces."_

"_I know, amazing isn't it?"_

"_Yes, very. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and vomit and afterwards I am going to find you a doctor to fix that head of yours."_

"_Thank you very much, I appreciate it. By the way, you look very sexy today."_

And then he would skitter off so fast that all he would be was a ghost of a blur.

Sakura buried her head into her arms and repeatedly hit herself upon them. Now while she was almost positive Kakashi wouldn't vomit, she did not doubt that he would go and find her a therapist of some sort after he had a serious one-on-one chat with her concerning all the no-no's of loving one's teacher -

- _Former teacher, _she corrected herself -

- and that talk alone hurt as much, or even more, as rejection itself.

Sakura raised her head and looked around at the dull, dank, dark cave that had messed with her mind. She was almost _positive _that it was the cave that did this to her. She glared.

"It's your fault," she said to her prison.

"What was that?"

Sakura, startled, shook herself and looked at Kakashi's prison. She was grateful that he could not see her embarrassing blush.

"Nothing!" she piped back cheerfully before curling back into her legs into a dark and gloomy state.

_Yup, no big deal._

* * *

The days passed and life was relatively uneventful. To her surprise – and total, utter relief – Drein had stopped coming to beat her. She didn't know how, and she didn't know why, but she did know that she very much enjoyed the lack of kicks and punches, so she didn't complain. 

The day after Sakura tossed Kakashi the apple, the male jonin was finally given food, but it was far less than what she had and looked to be extremely unappetizing. Upon voicing her thoughts, Kakashi answered with a full mouth, "Your taste buds don't exactly care when you're starving."

That was very nice of his taste buds to suddenly shut off like that, but it wasn't as if his bowels could just 'shut off.' Sakura shoved her fingers into her ears the first night Kakashi had regretted his decision to eat the stew given to him.

"You're not going to eat it again, right?" asked Sakura after Kakashi was done with his... task.

"No," was his quick reply. "No, I will not."

But hunger was a force to be reckoned with and when he refused to eat the next bowl sent to him, he also regretted that decision.

"How did you talk me into starving?" he asked, confused.

"I didn't not talk you into it," replied Sakura, tipping water down her throat. "And I have no intention to remind you just what convinced you. Do whatever you want, but don't blame me the next time you have to do your business." With that, she tossed her daily fruit, an orange this time, into his cell.

Kakashi eventually gave into his hunger and every time he regretted it until one day his body was finally used to the spoiled stew, which was a feat that amazed Sakura.

"It isn't really that bad," said Kakashi one night as he brought another spoonful of the Oh-My-God stew into his mouth, aptly named by Sakura herself, "once you get used to it."

"Yeah, I bet," she said sardonically.

That was as far as entertainment went. One night while Sakura was lying on her back in her straw bed, she realized quite suddenly that her capture was very, very boring. And while she didn't wish that someone would come in here and rough her up a bit, she did wish for something else to liven up her life a little.

_For god's sake, _she told herself, less than amused, _the only eventful thing that has happened was Kakashi's bowel movements._

That thought in itself made her groan in frustration and helplessness.

Escape was becoming extremely tempting and yet far from her reach. She and Kakashi had decided that they wouldn't make a move until the right moment. That 'right moment' could include something subtle, like the sickness of a guard, or the dropping of a key, or perhaps a slip up in the medicine that stunted their chakra that was put into their water every day.

Or maybe it could be something dramatic, like the doors to their cells suddenly exploding.

Either way, there had to be some sort of shift in their environment or else Sakura might go stir crazy.

And later, after a few days passed, it just so happened that one of those moments did shift and a wonderfully bright window of opportunity shone before them.

* * *

Jiro hated working in the kitchens. 

He had joined the Rebelle to fight, not prepare food. He had trained hard, day and night, to do some real damage in the world, not to stir up stew.

He believed this was a serious waste of talent.

Kasumi bustled into the kitchen, balancing a tray of dirty dishes and cups that were once filled with sake, with great dexterity. Gently, she set the large tray onto the counter and began to set the dishes into the large basin of warm soapy water.

"Another lame day, huh Jiro?" she said, tipping the last of the cups into the basin before putting the tray back onto her shoulder.

Jiro ignored her, not at all in the mood to talk to her. Angrily, he took out his frustration on the stew, stirring madly, sloshing the brownish mixture within the giant pot.

Kasumi took it all in stride, used to Jiro and his little temper tantrums. "I'll be back with more dishes," she said after a moment before speeding out of the kitchen, doors flapping behind her in her wake.

Jiro scowled and couldn't help but silently mock Kasumi. "I'll be back with more dishes," he mimicked, sounding far less sweet than Kasumi had been. He snorted. "Yeah, and then I'll have to wash them and then more will come in, and I'll have to wash _those-"_

He was interrupted by the sound of the doors flapping once more. Two males and a female were carrying a rather generous load of dishes and immediately dropped his spoon.

"You're kidding!"

The girl gave him a sympathetic glance before dumping her load into the basin. Jiro wanted to physically put himself between him and the sink and stop them from making his life a living hell.

That was not to be. After a second and a third dumping, Jiro was left with a rather large heap of dirty dishes and a frothing stew that threatened to spill over.

Jiro's eyebrow twitched.

Kasumi was pilling on more dishes when she heard a very mad, very frustrated yell escape from the kitchen, followed by crashing and the tinkling of broken pottery as it fell to the floor. The woman sighed and continued on in her work.

Jiro felt much better after releasing his pent up anger, but he did not release enough to clear his mind. He had, while preparing the dinners for two of the many prisoners within their underground fortress, forgotten one key ingredient and it was important, unlike salt and pepper.

But his mistake went unnoticed, even as he prepared the trays for Kasumi to take down to the dungeons. He continued to not remember until one day, his small mistake had created _quite _the ruckus.

* * *

Some omnipotent being up above must have loved her. There was no other explanation. Well, perhaps they were just screwing with her, but she didn't dwell on that. Instead, she tried to calm her body that was so suddenly filled with adrenaline. 

No, that wasn't adrenaline.

It was her chakra.

Her chakra was no longer mucus!

She could feel her spiritual energy begin to flow through her once again, coursing through her body. It was slow and not nearly powerful enough to do anything at the time, but it was a start and a good one.

She relished in the feeling of being able to properly control her chakra once more. She had no idea how much she had missed it and how incomplete she had felt without it until she had it back again. Now that she was free from boogeritis, she had no intention to lose that control again.

"Kakashi!" she whispered harshly. "Kakashi!"

Their small talks, as of late, had to be cut abruptly short. It seemed that the guards didn't like it when prisoners talked to each other. After a sound beating and a first and final warning, Sakura and Kakashi had stopped talking to one another completely. That had made her world an even bigger bore.

Now though the guards should have been away at lunch, but there was the small possibility that there might be some eavesdropping ears nearby, but Sakura could hardly contain her excitement and she just had to tell him.

"Kakashi!"

She waited for a reply patiently. Patiently included five seconds before she was ready to burst.

"Kaka-"

"I know Sakura!" whispered Kakashi suddenly, cutting her short. "I know. Me too. Now, be quiet!"

Sakura remained dumb and silent for a bare moment before snapping her mouth shut and sticking her tongue out at him. The thought of escape must have caused her maturity to suddenly lapse.

"Well fine," she grumbled, leaning back into the cave's wall and huffing. She brushed off whatever dirt had collected on her now very tattered and very grimy dress. She had long ago torn off the sleeves and shortened the dress significantly until the end brushed up against her thighs.

It had been such a lovely dress and now it was no more fit to end up in a trash can. She hoped that Yuu wouldn't be too terribly angry with her. It wasn't as if she had done it on purpose, although it _did _give her a nice excuse to never wear it again-

"Sakura."

Sakura looked up, drawn out of her thoughts.

"Huh?"

She mentally smacked herself. _Yes, Sakura, let's just see how smooth you can be._

"Er, I mean, yes?"

Sakura could have sworn she heard a small chuckle before Kakashi's voice smoothed over the air. He sounded serious, so she listened attentively.

"Sakura, don't eat. Don't drink. Finish everything that you have today, including the water – this is very important – and don't eat or drink anything that comes to you for the next two days."

Sakura's brow creased in confusion. "Why?"

Kakashi frowned. "Sakura," he said, disappointment hanging over his words, "surely you know why."

And then he stopped talking completely.

Sakura wanted to say, "No, I surely _don't_ know why or else I wouldn't be asking," but she refrained. Obviously it was something that Kakashi couldn't explain or else he would have told her, so that meant…

_He's planning something, _she thought to herself. _But what-_

It immediately clicked and somewhere within Sakura's mind, there was a rather stupid Sakura giggling and sucking on her toes.

They were going to wait for the remainder of the medicine to filter out of their bodies. A human could only go so long without water and now they had the chance to actually stop eating and drinking without dehydrating. And he couldn't tell because-

_People could find out and stop us._

The stupid Sakura giggled and stuck a pencil up her nose.

"Sorry," grumbled Sakura, not at all pleased at finding out that there was a part of her that was very dim-witted.

Kakashi didn't reply and it was just as well. She didn't exactly want to talk to Kakashi right then and there after her little brain lapse. Instead, she did what she was told and finished off her food, saving her water for last. She drank it slowly, savoring it. It was going to be a while before she would have anything else.

* * *

The next day, her food came, and as hungry and thirsty she was, she did not put a single atom of it onto her lips. Instead, she dumped the water out into the small drain in the corner of the cell and hid her rice underneath her straw bed. 

She looked at the peeled orange sadly and hid that away as well. Sakura had asked Kakashi if she could at least have the orange, but he told her no, saying that they could have injected the poison into the fruit. Sakura had thought this to be very silly and told him that the chance was very small.

"_Would you risk freedom on chance?" _He had asked.

_Of course not, _thought Sakura angrily, dumping the peel of the orange onto her tray. _I want to get out just as badly as you. I just can't help but notice how juicy the orange is, that's all!_

A sweet, succulent, dripping orange filled her vision and made her mouth water.

_There's no harm in imagining, is there?_

Sakura was about to take a large mental bite into her wonderfully wonderful mental orange when Kakashi interrupted her haven.

"You didn't eat anything, right?"

Sakura scowled, one reason being that her orange had suddenly turned into a rock and she had bit down onto the dry, hard vision, not at all the orange she wanted. The second reason was that Kakashi actually had the audacity to think that she would do such a thing.

_An orange isn't THAT great._

_It isn't._

_Well…_

"_No," _she said tersely, answering both his question and halting her thoughts, "I did not."

_Well at least I know how much he trusts me, _she thought bitterly.

"Alright," said Kakashi, relieved, "just making sure. Now, just one more day."

_And we can get out of here. _

She heard it beneath his voice. Those words alone made her forget his distrust in her and briefly she entered Sakura's World which now included acres upon acres of blown up prison doors and oranges.

"Good."

* * *

If only it was as easy as it sounded. 

Sakura was lying on her back on her straw bed, sniffing her hands, and sighing to herself.

Now, to most people this would appear to be a very confusing and perhaps disturbing occurrence, and they would be right. It was a very confusing and disturbing occurrence, but currently Sakura didn't care seeing her hands smelled of the orange she had peeled.

Her mouth watered as she smelled her hands again and imagined the orange. It had two large chunks taken out of it from previous imaginings. A third was added and Sakura mentally chewed, very happy.

Then she couldn't hold the illusion any longer and she was brought back into the real world where she had no orange, only orange smelling hands, and was very, very, very thirsty.

She smacked her mouth, trying to get some saliva to get rid of the dryness. She barely managed and when she was done, she realized that she was dehydrated.

It was mostly the heat that did it. It was very humid in the dungeons, not at all cold or arid most dungeons were. The heat clung to her clothes, which in turn clung to her, which made her sweat, which then helped speed up the process of her turning into a raisin.

She had unabashedly stripped herself free of her dress and was now laying spread eagle on her straw bed in her bra and a slip. This at least helped her from getting too hot, but that night – was it night? – it was particularly warm.

Sakura groaned and sat up. Slowly, she stood and walked forward, dragging her feet. She continued walking until she was on the verge of colliding into the wall. If she did not stop, she would-

Sakura smacked into the wall, hugging it. The cold stone brought her skin temperature down a few degrees and it felt delicious. She rubbed her cheek up against the cave, sighing.

"I love you," she murmured and she fought the urge to suddenly kiss the rock.

Kakashi was not faring any better. He, too, had stripped himself free from his clothes down until he was only in his boxers, but he hadn't gone as far as to ravish the walls. Instead, he leaned back into them, not moving, not blinking, and did his best to breathe only when he had to.

Absently, his hand went to the bandages that were wrapped around his midsection.

_One more day, _he told himself. _Just one more day._

* * *

On the last day, Sakura half cheered, half cried. The medicine had worn off and now she had full access to her chakra. 

The bad part was that she had no energy to move.

"Didn't think this part through, did you Kakashi?" she said bitterly, but she was so tired and dizzy that it had come out into an almost unrecognizable slur.

Kakashi ignored her – which in turn helped him ignore his little mistake – and continued to slide his shirt over his head. "Sakura," he said, now shrugging on his vest and adjusting his hitai-ate, "you can either lay there and wither away, or you can get up and do something and get out. The guards will be back soon from lunch, so you have only now to decide."

Sakura thought this was an unbelievably stupid thing that he had just said. Of _course _she wanted to get out, but her body was being terribly incompliant. Just to prove her point, when she did try to stand up, she wasn't shocked to see that she hadn't moved an inch.

_Nope, _her body told her, _you're not going anywhere until you have some water and perhaps an orange or six._

_Well, _she argued back, _if you want me to have that, you have to let me get up. Now come on, up you go!_

And suddenly she was up and putting on her dress.

_There, that wasn't too bad, now was it?_

Sakura gave her dress one last tug before walking up to the bars of her prison door and giving them a sharp yank.

"You," she said to them, "are going to pay for keeping me in here."

"Agreed," said Kakashi from behind the door.

There was no time spent talking. There was no, "Are you ready?" followed by, "Are _you _ready?" There was only then, now, and the sweet taste of freedom so very close, yet so very far away.

There was a lurch, and the door to Kakashi's cell fell and crashed to the floor, the shattered hinges lying scattered across the ground.

It had been nearly two weeks since Sakura had seen Kakashi and two weeks were very, very long considering her newly discovered feelings for him. Seeing him now, hardly unchanged, perhaps a little worn around the edges, made her feelings become all the more clear.

_I like him, I do I do I do…_

His visible eyebrow arched. "Yes?"

Sakura blinked and felt the blood rise to her cheeks when she realized that she had been staring. If this was what life was going to be like now that she liked him, it was going to be a very sad and embarrassing one.

"N-nothing," she murmured before concentrating at the task at hand, not at all paying attention to Kakashi's shapely jaw, dark eye, or his silver shock of hair.

Nope. Not at all.

She stuck her arms between a set of bars and carefully calculated when to release her chakra. It would be quick and she'd have to be precise or else her arms would either slam painfully into the metal or they might just shudder and pop out of her shoulders.

_Neither option, please, _she told herself before planting her feet and swinging her arms-

-_Now!_-

-and the bars bent, giving way easily to her simultaneous blows. She smiled briefly at her job well done before slipping through the gaping hole she had made. She stood in front of Kakashi who had watched the small spectacle with mild interest.

"You know," he said after a moment, giving her a side long glance, "I always keep forgetting how strong you are."

Sakura frowned, ignoring the compliment. "So I don't look like I'm strong, huh? I look like a fragile little flower?"

"Um."

Kakashi hesitated. He saw the trap, knew it was a trap, and knew just how obvious it was, and yet somehow he continued to waltz right into it until it clapped angrily around his ankle.

"Yes?"

Sakura's eyes widened a fraction in surprised for just the barest of moments before her eyebrows shot down into a thunderous scowl.

"Great. Thanks."

Kakashi stopped himself just in time from saying, "You're welcome," for that would only bring about disastrous results. Instead, he focused on the task at hand which was to get out of the dungeons.

"Come on," he said, looking down the far end of the hallway that was conveniently lit up by torches. "We need to get out of here. Someone might have heard us."

Sakura seemed to, for a moment, let Kakashi's words slide, and nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

Operation: Get The Hell Out was underway.

--


	13. Escape

A/N: **WARNING: This is an **_**extremely**_** graphic chapter that includes violence and death, so read at your own risk.**

--

They ran swiftly and quietly, only the barest of noises made when their feet brushed the ground and the air around them whispered at their speed. They stuck to the walls, keeping to the shadows. While the section of dungeon they had been kept in was relatively vacant, the approaching level was filled with people, guards and prisoners alike. One small mistake, the slightest slip up, and they'd land right back into their cells, or worse.

Kakashi came to an abrupt stop with Sakura nearly colliding into his back. He held up his hand for silence and peered around the corner of the wall. Quickly his head shot back into place, his eye narrowed. He held up three fingers.

_Three prisoners, _her mind supplied.

Then two.

_Two guards._

It was a setback, but not a bad one. They would just have to be extra careful in disguise.

Sakura nodded to him in understanding and the two carefully made their way back down the hall as not to be heard. She put her hands together in a sign. In her mind, she thought of the girl that always delivered her food. She had long black hair, timid blue eyes, and a very strong and demanding voice that did not fit the body very well at all. She would be perfect.

She allowed her chakra to flow, condensing, collecting, bounding around her in small waves, over and over, rippling and dancing a dance that would give her what she wanted.

_Transform!_

Sakura could hear the simultaneous 'poof!' of Kakashi's own transformation as the cloud of smoke gathered and fell away from her in an instant. She looked down at her hands which were not her hands and the clothes that were not her clothes. She pulled at her long hair, a far cry from her own short locks, and smiled.

"Hehe," she said in her not voice, "I did it!"

Sakura looked up and stifled a gasp. Suddenly standing before her was Drein.

An irrational terror and anger flowed through her, stifling her. She _knew _it was only Kakashi in disguise, but her mind was screaming, "Him, him! Kill him, burn him, _destroy him!"_

Her hands clenched into fists and she slowly backed away. It took all that she had to keep from tackling him to the ground and knocking the living lights out of him.

Kakashi felt rather pleased with himself. He had done very well in his transformation. Wiping his tongue across his teeth, he knew that he had gotten the man's awful dental care right. Sakura, for some reason, was not at all pleased. She stared at him, but it was an angry stare, filled with hot malice.

And then he understood.

_Yet again you screw up, Kakashi, _he told himself. _Choose the one guy that has helped ruin Sakura's life twice over._

"Sakura," he said as gently as possible, but it came out all wrong. This was not his voice. This voice was much more deep and gravely than his and it sounded as if he was trying to seduce her in such a hushed tone. Kakashi pulled back as Sakura retreated even further, and he glared down at his throat the best he could.

_That went badly._

Understatement of the year.

He tried again, this time adjusting his voice so that if it really was him talking, he would be border lining a feminine voice. Perhaps if he lightened it, it wouldn't sound so manly and guttural.

"Sakura-"

He stopped right there.

_No, no, that's not helping at _all_. Now what? _He looked over to Sakura to gauge her reaction and see what she thought. She stood there, eyes wide, mouth gaping.

_Is that good or bad? I can never tell with her._

Laughter bubbled up from Sakura and he looked, slightly shocked, at her. She continued laughing, pointing a shaking finger at him.

"O-okay," she managed, clutching her stomach, "now I know that is _definitely _not Drein." She laughed a bit more before straightening, eyes shinning with amusement. "Thanks, Kakashi."

Kakashi nodded, glad that she didn't look like a dog trapped in a corner, but couldn't help but feel his pride had taken a sound _thwack. _

"Then let's go," he said in that weird, creepy, seductive voice that was not very seductive at all. "We've wasted enough time as it is."

Sakura nodded and together they strode back up the hallway towards the guards. For the barest of moments, they stopped just behind the corner. What if it didn't work? What if they knew? So many questions, only one option.

Kakashi walked around the corner, wearing a small scowl. If asked, he would say that he had caught 'this girl' snooping around the prisoners. He hoped no one would ask "Why?" so that the nameless girl wouldn't get into any trouble later.

'This girl,' or rather Sakura, walked beside him, her face downcast and guilty. She had been a very naughty girl and was caught being kind to the prisoners. 'Drein' had found her and was now taking her to some nameless, yet very scary place to be dealt with.

It was a nearly brilliant, but not completely brilliant plan. Brilliance was perfect. Their plan was founded on luck, which happened to be a compound composed of eggshells, and was definitely not perfect.

* * *

The two guards were enjoying a game of poker when they heard shuffling behind them. They turned quickly, hands to their hips where their weapons lay. First their eyes landed on Kasumi, head of the kitchen and their friend, then they focused on Drein, second in command and feared ally. Immediately their hands fell away and instead they bowed.

"Drein-sama!" they said together, keeping their eyes to the ground. Drein had been in a bad mood lately and most of the guards had been avoiding him. It was with their worst luck that they had encountered him when he appeared to be positively cranky.

Drein grunted. "What're you doing?" he demanded, stopping just before them, hands crossed over his chest. "Is that poker you're playing?" His scowl deepened. "What if the prisoners escaped? What if, at this very moment, they were gallivanting around? _Huh?"_

Kasumi's shoulders jumped for the briefest moment. Her head bowed, hair covering her face. One of the soldiers noticed this and went to ask why she was even with him, but stopped himself. He was being scolded.

"S-sorry!" they said together in unison, bowing again. "Won't happen again!"

Drein scanned them quietly, his scowl still set in place, before he grunted again and grabbed onto Kasumi's arm rather roughly.

"You," he said to her, his eye narrowed dangerously, "have not been forgotten."

Then he was pulling her – jerking her, rather – towards the far door. Kasumi gasped and stumbled after him, her face still low. The soldier who had first noticed her was worried for her, seeing he was a close friend. He tried to get her attention as she passed, but her head refused to rise from its bowed position. Just what had she gotten herself into?

The two left quickly and the guards were by themselves, save the prisoners. The first soldier slowly sat down back into his chair, rubbing his eyes.

"Something's wrong with Kasumi."

"Yeah," agreed the other guard, also sitting. "but what?"

"I dunno," replied the other, dragging his hand down his face, letting it slap onto the table, disturbing their game of poker, "but I'm going to go and talk to her about it. Whatever happened, I'm sure Drein-sama will let her go. She's head of the kitchen for lunch and that's about half an hour away, isn't it?"

The second soldier nodded. "Yeah. He can't keep her from such an important job unless she _really _screwed up." He shuddered.

"No," said the first guard, absently rubbing the palm of his hand that had slapped the table, "she's too smart to make such a stupid decision. I think I'll go look for her in a few minutes, though. You can keep watch for me, right?"

The second nodded. "Yeah. I mean, it's not like the prisoners are going anywhere, now is it?"

The two laughed.

* * *

The door shut behind them and then they were off again, ignoring the polite bows and curious gazes of the different people as she and Kakashi passed. Sakura knew that they had to keep appearances up, but Kakashi's hand was digging painfully into her arm to the point she swore she was going to have five small, round bruises around her upper left shoulder.

She bit her lip again. The first time was to stifle her laughter that threatened to bubble up into her throat when Kakashi had spoken to the guards. Now she was trying to stop from crying out in pain.

"Ease up, will ya?" she whispered so low that only Kakashi could hear. "I feel like you're going to pop my muscles."

Kakashi didn't look at her, but she did feel his grip loosen only, to her dismay, be suddenly clenched once more with a vice like strength. She gasped at the sudden pain only to be drug down another hall, perpendicular to the one they had just been in, rather abruptly, shaking her of her sudden breath.

They were now in an empty hall vacated only by the occasional picture and light fixture. She made a move to speak, but was shushed with a curt, "Quiet!"

Sakura bit her lip once more to keep from speaking and snapping at him. Now was not the time to be bitter. Instead, she followed his worried gaze, eyes drawn down and narrowed.

And then, with a cold shiver, she saw the real Drein pass in front of them.

Her heart only began to beat once more when he faded from view.

Sakura sunk against Kakashi, gripping his arm – Drein's arm – and holding onto it tight for her knees threatened to give out. That had been too close. Even Kakashi's pulse was thudding at an incredible pace. She could feel it beneath her fingers.

_Thud thud thud thud…_

Sakura clutched tighter.

"Relax, Sakura," said Kakashi in that weird, gross seductive tone. "He's gone."

Sakura slowly let her fingers relax, though she was still cold and felt sick. She pulled away, clasping her fingers together nervously. Failure had always been a possibility, of course, but being so close to it, so close to being thrown back in that cell…

Sakura swallowed.

"Come on," Kakashi urged. "We need to get out of here as quickly as possible." He tugged her arm towards the hallway in front of them and Sakura followed half-blind, her mind still calming down from the sudden and harsh fear she had experienced.

_So close, _her mind whispered feverishly, _so so close. He was there, you could have been caught. Failure. Failure failure failure…_

They were back in the open, striding down the hall at a brisk pace, but not so quickly that people found them suspicious. At a passing glance, it would just be Drein, angry at the girl at his side.

Sakura's feet stumbled briefly, catching on the rug they had suddenly stepped on. She would have fallen face first onto the floor weren't it for Kakashi's, yet again, bruising grip.

_Ow, _thought Sakura dumbly, the throbbing in her arm matching the same thundering pace of her heart. _That hurts._

They turned down a different hall, and empty hall, and they were walking faster now, feet beating against the floor. Sakura had no idea where she was or where they were going. If she didn't know, then did Kakashi?

Her mind blanked out.

"Kakashi," she found herself saying, "do you know where we're going?"

There was a short pause before he answered her. "Of course I don't, but that can't be helped, now can it?"

_No, _thought Sakura glumly, _you can't. But this has drastically reduced our chances of escape._

"Don't worry," he said again, still keeping up that hurried pace, "I have a general idea of where to go." He pointed ahead, gesturing towards a set of stairs. They moved back and forth, up and up until they disappeared above the ceiling. "We keep heading up and above ground."

That sounded like an idea that was entirely based on luck. Well, it was better than having no idea at all.

Another servant, a young girl, suddenly appeared on the stairs, her eyes narrowed in concentration as she balanced a large basket overstuffed with dirty laundry. Their rapid pace hastily changed from speed walking to a slow, inconspicuous stride.

"Good afternoon, Drein-sama!" piped the servant girl, bowing low, an amazing achievement considering her large load of stinking shirts and socks.

Kakashi's hand on her arm tightened briefly before he released her quickly, as if he was trying free himself of a stain. Sakura grabbed her arm, nursing her hurt shoulder, trying her best not to snap at him.

The girl rose up and looked at Sakura and her eyes immediately widened. She stared back, suddenly unable to move. Did the girl know something that she didn't know? Had she gotten her transformation wrong? She swallowed deeply, but kept her eyes still.

"Kasumi-san," said the girl, inclining her head, "what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the kitchens?"

Sakura felt a cold chill run down her spine. Things were slowly beginning to turn south and far away from her freedom. "Ah," she started hesitantly, not knowing what to say.

_What should I do? What should I do? _

"I, um-"

"Excuse me."

The girls turned and looked at the clearly displeased and impatient Drein. He had his arms crossed again and a nasty scowl that could turn any milk sour. The servant girl's pink complexion quickly lost all color. Sakura herself was slowly recovering at the horrible look on Kakashi's – Drein's – face.

"You," Kakashi pointed at the servant girl, growling, "are wasting time. Get back to work!"

The servant girl flinched and jumped all at the same time before bobbing up and down. "Y-yes sir!" she squeaked. "Sorry sir!" And she was off, skittering down the hallway. A rogue pair of underwear fell from her basket, but she didn't bother to pick it up. Instead, she continued down the hall at a blinding pace, hair whipping behind her.

Sakura, for some odd reason as she watched her leave, thought, _I wonder whose underwear that was? _when she was interrupted by a short chuckle.

"That was a close call," said Kakashi before breathing a sigh of relief. "But at least we're heading in the right direction. All those dirty clothes are enough proof. The regular soldiers should be above us, and above them, ninja. They should be near, or at ground level."

Sakura managed a "Huh?" before they were off again, quickly making their way up the steps.

"They keep the strongest at the entrance," explained Kakashi as the continued up, "so that if anyone intrudes, they're easily dealt with."

"Okay," said Sakura slowly, fumbling with the idea for a moment before smoothing out its wrinkles and reading it much more clearly. "Okay, I get it. But the ninja…"

They had been lucky so far and they had not run into any shinobi that could see through or dispel their disguises. But soon they would be going to a floor filled entirely of nin. They wouldn't be able to rely on disguise. They'd have to hide and run as fast as they could.

"It's going to be tough," said Kakashi, obviously aware of the risks, "but we can do it."

That was easier said than done, but why should she be such the pessimist? They could do it. They _would _do it. It would just be very dangerous and practically suicidal and there would be hundreds of men and woman after them, each carrying their death wishes. That's all.

Suddenly, Sakura wasn't feeling so confidant anymore.

* * *

Daisuke left his fellow guard a few minute early and headed down to the lunchroom. He was worried about Kasumi and he needed to talk to her so that she could clear his thoughts. Being in Drein's worst interests was never a good thing, especially as of late. He hoped he hadn't done anything to hurt her. Drein found a pleasure in hurting people, especially women.

His footsteps quickened.

The lunchroom was relatively empty, save for a few nin and soldiers here and there. Daisuke looked left and right, trying to find that familiar black head of hair.

On the far side of the lunchroom, he spotted her leaning low over the table and wiping it free of old food and spilt sake. She seemed unhurt and was still working at her break neck speed, so that gave him a sense of relief. He hurried over to her, weaving through and around the long tables that lined up and split the hall.

"Kasumi!" he called out before nearly tripping over the leg of a chair and face planting into the dirty floor below. He recovered quickly – arms flailing – and called her again.

"Kasumi!"

The woman swept the rest of the breadcrumbs onto the floor before looking over her shoulder. She smiled at him.

"Daisuke, what are you doing?" She tucked her worn, gray rag into the belt of her apron and turned to him, hands on her hips. "You're supposed to be in the dungeons right now. Lunch doesn't start for another ten minutes."

"Y-yes," fumbled Daisuke until he gave up talking all together. He was beyond confused. How did Kasumi recover so quickly? She looked like she always did: Tired, yet still full of life. She didn't look like she had a rather nasty encounter with Drein.

Had he missed something?

"Yes?" said Kasumi slowly, arching an eyebrow.

He stumbled again, caught himself, and coughed. "Well," he began, trying to ignore the niggling in the back of his head, "I just came to see if you're alright."

"If I'm alright?" Now it was her turn to be confused. "Now why would you ask something like that? It's not that I don't mind you coming in to check up on me, but that doesn't really seem like you. But," and she smiled again, "I'm fine. Actually, I've had a pretty good day."

"Come again?"

"Exactly what I said," giggled Kasumi, rolling her eyes, "I had a good day. Is that such a bad thing?"

Daisuke nodded wildly, the color from his face fading ever so slowly. "Yes that is a very bad thing. There is not a single possibility that you had a good day considering all the trouble you got into!"

"Trouble?" Kasumi was frowning now. "I have not gotten into any trouble Daisuke so I suggest you best shut up and not spread any rumors that say I have!"

"B-but!" sputtered Daisuke before he was fumbling with his hands, running his fingers through his hair and looking around at the room as if it was not the place he had wanted to be.

Kasumi's mouth pierced, eyebrows furrowed. "Just what is wrong with you today?"

Within Daisuke's mind, the cogs of his thoughts stopped turning, confusion wedged between them, halting all processes.

Something was wrong and the niggling in the back of his head was growing louder and louder until he felt a cold sheen of sweat begin to build on his forehead.

"No." His voice cracked as he tried to convince her that she was wrong. _She was wrong!_ "You had a bad day!"

"No," countered Kasumi, clearly annoyed. "I didn't, and I think I, over all people, should know this best, but you are quickly turning my day into a rather foul one!"

"But," he said quickly, "what about Drein?"

Kasumi blinked and her brow creased. "Drein-sama? Something happen with him?" She sighed and shook her head, not at all pleased. "I've been so busy with the kitchen and the lunch room that I haven't had the time to listen to the gossip in this place. Last time I saw him he was in a grouchy mood. That was," she put a finger to her lip in thought, "three days ago?" She shrugged. "Ah well. I guess I can catch up later."

_Three days…_

"_What if, at this very moment, they were gallivanting around? _Huh?"

There was no _way…_

His heart stopped cold, and for a moment, he thought he had died. No, he was already dead. Dead, dead, dead, dead, _dead._

"Prisoners," he whispered.

Kasumi's brow creased. "Eh? What was that?"

"Prisoners!" said Daisuke again, and this time Kasumi reeled back in horror at the cold fear and failure that made up the essence of what he said.

Kasumi shook her head slowly, eyes wide. "Daisuke, you didn't...!"

But he did and he knew that two prisoners were somewhere within their hideout, escaping.

"_Prisoners!" _He yelled, shocking everyone within the lunch room. _"Prisoners have escaped!" _He wheeled around on the ball of his foot and dashed through the lunch room, through the hallways, through every nook and cranny he could reach with his voice.

"_Prisoners have escaped!"_

* * *

Things had been going relatively well. As predicted, the soldier's dormitories were just above them and above those, there were the ninja quarters. Nobody had seemed to notice their little charade and if they did, they were none the wiser. It had all moved so smoothly that Sakura actually believed they were going to get out.

That was until the world stopped, her mind shut down, and her blood ran cold.

"Prisoners have escaped!"

And the moment those words hit their ears, they were off, racing through the hallway they had been occupying at speeds that turned their bodies into blurs.

Sakura's heart thundered rapidly in her chest, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Over and over she heard the declaration in her head, each word pumping more fantastic energy into her limbs.

_Move, move! _Her mind screamed, and her feet complied, stinging painfully against the ground as they sped through hallways, dodging bystanders, moving so fast they were a breeze.

The hallway opened into a spacious training area. Ninja were sparring with each other, exchanging blows. Sakura felt like crying. This was not the place that they wanted to be!

A nearby kunoichi blocked a punch and spotted Kasumi and Drein just standing beyond the nearby hallway. She straightened and bowed towards them.

"Kasumi-san, Drein-sama, good to see you!"

They didn't respond and when she straightened they were looking at her with the most peculiar look. It didn't fit them at all and she knew that she had never seen them like that before.

"Prisoners!" screamed a voice from the hallway, causing both Kasumi and Drein to start. "Prisoners have escaped!"

"Prisoners?" The kunoichi's eyebrows narrowed and she turned to Drein. "Sir! I am at your disposal!"

And there was that weird look again as if she had suddenly sprouted a horn in the middle of her head. She refrained from checking herself. "Sir?"

Then the two were unexpectedly running, pushing past her and to the far end of the training area, and she knew with sudden clarity that they were the prisoners in disguise.

"It's them!" she screamed, pointing a finger. "They're the escapees! Get them!"

And then life became much more difficult for Sakura and Kakashi. Not only were they surrounded in ninja with no way out, they had been found by the last person they wanted to see.

Whether it was chance, fate, or the gods messing around with them, they skid to a halt in front of Drein who stood in front of them, a malevolent smirk on his face.

"Well," he said, looking up and down his double with a sort of curious gaze, "you have copied me quite well, though you are lacking a few small scars." His grin grew, showing off his horrible yellow teeth. "Too bad all your work has been wasted."

Kakashi stared back at him and around them he felt the nin within the training grounds begin to close them in, circling them like prey. Soon they'd be trapped and there'd be nowhere to go. It _would _all be a waste.

"It's time your little stroll came to an end," said the real Drein, cracking his knuckles one by one. Each sound was drawn out, carried out slowly, prolonging their time and suffering.

_Pop._

"Personally,"

_Pop._

"I'm glad you decided to do such a dumb thing like trying to get out."

_Pop._

"That means I can finally give you the…"

_Pop._

"…_attention _you deserve."

_Crack._

His gaze turned and fell onto Sakura. It was filled with a hunger, a clawing desire to make her world much worse than a living hell in any and all ways.

Unconsciously Drein licked his lips. "The more I think about it," he said in that horrible seductive voice that was his and not at all Kakashi's, "the more I want it. It almost hurts."

Kakashi heard Sakura's breath hitch and something within him bubbled and frothed until suddenly it caught fire and it was a raging inferno of pure hate and malice directed solely at the man in front of him. He hated him, hated him so much. It was a surprise that his blood wasn't on his fingers yet.

Sakura felt her body still. She could have been dead. She was standing and conscious, but she was certainly dead. She felt it somewhere within her. Somewhere within her shrieking fear and spiraling thoughts that lead her to the darkest pits of her soul, she was dead.

_Can't… move…_

She drew in a raspy breath.

_Can't… _breathe…

Her legs and arms numbed.

_I'm dead. He's going to kill me and then I will be dead-_

_-Must not die! Must move!_

Another breath. Her arms twitched.

_Must move! Must get away. _

_Must RUN!_

Her feet shifted. She felt her thigh muscles bunch up together, sliding, tensing. Her fists clenched, knuckles cracking. Her chakra stirred and rose, crying to be released. She was a coil ready to spring-

"Get them!"

-and she was off, driving through the small wall of people that had become to close around them, knocking them into the air and sending them flying across the training grounds, flinging them to the ground. It didn't matter who she hit, she just needed to _get away._

A primal urge rose within her. Over and over it repeated _"Get away!" _and she couldn't fight it. She let herself be drug mercilessly by the command, letting her body be controlled by the drive.

She could feel the shinobi within the training area rush towards her and her chakra reacted violently, flaring up and down into the soles of her feet. She pushed-

She was in the air and the shinobi below collided. She rose higher and higher into the air until she reached the ceiling. She somersaulted and landed, feet bracing them against the rock before pushing herself off, rocketing down towards the earth, her fist out in front of her. She was a speeding missile and not everyone could jump away before she shot to the ground and landed in an earth-shattering blow.

The ground heaved and broke under the thundering punch. The smart and lucky ones jumped out of the way while the not so smart and not so lucky found themselves shaken and crushed by the power of her attack.

Kakashi had only just jumped out of the way before Sakura landed. He watched with amazement from his place on the ceiling as the ground literally broke and ruptured and once again he found that he could not wrap his mind around such a beautiful and kind girl holding that much destructive power.

Sakura was far from done. Ignoring her bleeding knuckles, she sprinted and jumped, throwing herself directly into a kunoichi that had jumped out of the way. The two wrestled in the air before Sakura broke away, pulled her arm back, and punched the girl cleanly into the jaw, sending her crashing into the dirt.

Sakura somersaulted again and landed on the nearby wall which was conveniently located near the weapon rack. She looked down and picked up the closest thing she could reach: a spear.

Her hand clutched almost painfully around the wood as she coiled herself once more and turned to her next target that was on the far side of the training area, staring stunned at the destruction one girl had caused.

She spotted her target and her primal thoughts rose to a fury as her legs bunched and pushed herself off the wall at a blinding speed. A cry broke her throat.

"_DREEIIIN!!"_

And Drein turned to see Sakura barreling towards him, a long spear pointed outwards and directly towards his heart.

Sakura wished she could go faster so that she could drive the spearhead into his heart all the more soon. But she was already going fast, so fast that her hair whipped behind her and her eyes stung with all the air and there was no stopping her barrage.

_Kill, kill, destroy him!_

Kakashi watched with bated breath. This would end it. If he was brought down then they'd be able to get out. He urged her faster, willed her to speed up.

_Drive it right into his chest, Sakura!_

Drein grunted, shifted, and Sakura missed, only giving Drein the smallest of nicks on his arm.

Kakashi watched, unable to take his eyes away as Sakura sailed by Drein who was supposed to be dead.

_No! Dammit!_

She looked up at him in horror, their eyes meeting in suspended time before she passed him by, hitting the ground and tumbling, the spear flying far from her, the shaft splintering into thousands of pieces.

Drein turned and watched her roll and skid across the ground, finally coming to a halt. Dust rose around her prone body and Drein couldn't help but wonder of she was dead. He waited for her to rise, but she lay there unmoving, dirt settling around her body.

Behind him, he heard Kakashi audibly gasp. "Sakura!"

"Hn." Drein ignored the lovesick Copy Nin and strode over to the fallen Sakura, boots scuffing along the ground. He stopped a few ninja from approaching with a scowl before he arrived, his toes just barely touching her side.

She was face down in the dirt, her arms and legs sprawled haphazardly in different directions. He nudged her with the toe of his boot but he got no reaction. He spat.

"After all of that," he said, suddenly bored, "that's how you go down."

She didn't reply, just continued to lie there.

"Well," and he spat again, "I guess that's the end."

Kakashi looked down in horror. There was no way that she could be defeated like that. But there she was, unconscious. Surely this was not the end.

_Get up! _he screamed. _Up, Sakura!_

But another part of his mind was oddly calm. It was as if that single part knew much more than he did. Kakashi listened to what it had to say for only the briefest moment.

_Her disguise is still up._

And Kakashi knew that this was far from over.

Drein kicked her again with the toe of his boot. "That was a boring ending. One of the worst I've seen." He shrugged and gestured to the ninja he had stopped earlier. "You two," he said before pointing to Sakura, "get her and take her away." Then he turned and looked up at Kakashi who was still staring, aghast at the situation.

"Well aren't you going to come down?" Drein yelled out to him, crossing his arms. "Your little girlfriend is done so you might as well come over here so we can get this done and over with."

"If you don't mind," Kakashi found himself saying, although his voice seemed very far away, "I think I'll stay up here."

Drein shrugged. "Fine, but making this harder on me will only make your life much worse." He gestured again. "Go get him and bring him down." With a second thought, he added with a grin, "If you must, bring him dead or alive."

But before they could go and get him, and before Drein could take another breath, there was a sickening _crack _as the heads of the two shinobi that bent down to get Sakura crashed together. Before they even hit the ground, Sakura was already in Drein's face.

Drein stared. He could count the number of eyelashes she had. He could smell her breath, could feel her chakra. He gasped-

Sakura's fist connected soundly against his cheek, sending him flying across the room into the farthest wall. The strength of the impact caused a giant cloud and dust and dirt to cover nearly a quarter of the training area. There was a deadly silence, the sound of rock falling and shifting the only things heard.

Then, without a second thought, Sakura turned and ran through a set of doors into another hallway, unnoticed by everyone in the ensuing confusion.

Kakashi only had the briefest of moments to figure out what had happened before he was off, following Sakura as she dashed through the soldiers and ninja that lined the halls like they were merely leaves.

In front of him, he watched as Sakura's disguise fell in a puff of smoke and she was herself again, racing through the halls, knocking people to the side as she ran.

Kakashi let his own disguise fall and, for a moment, was happy that he had his own figure back, before his mind sharpened and drew down to the here and now.

Sakura had the front, but he could sense that they were being followed. He turned on his heel and pushed so he was flying backwards, free to face the two nin that were bounding after him. They looked to be chunnin level, but he wasn't sure. At least he thought he could deal with them. His hand flew to his vest to grab-

_Damn! _He let himself fall back to the ground, feet pounding as he continued to follow Sakura who had knocked another man to the side like a fly.

_You don't have your ninja gear, _said a very calm, yet very vexed voice in his head.

_No shit, _he bit back.

He would have to improvise. He just hoped that Sakura could take care of herself for a few minutes. He let his pace lag, just slightly, and he saw Sakura slowly begin to pull ahead of him until there was a fairly large gap between them. He ignored the ache in his chest and instead let himself be fallen upon by the two nin.

The first hand that landed on his shoulder was immediately grabbed by Kakashi. The jonin pushed off the ground again and, with the slight tensing of his body, turned and slammed the man's body against the floor, cleanly snapping his arm at the elbow, bone bursting from the skin. He heard the man's shrill cry before he was off again, this time dealing with his accomplice.

This man had obviously seen what had happened and kept his distance. Kakashi frowned briefly and just only registered the man's hands going to his hip when he saw three shinning kunai come flying towards him. He let himself drop low and he twisted, the kunai flying harmlessly above him-

Pain lanced up his arm and into his brain when a fourth kunai, hidden in the shadow of the third sliced cleanly into his right arm.

He felt muscle and skin tear and looked down at the knife that was embedded in his bone. He yanked the weapon from his arm, not feeling the grinding crunch and slide of metal as it came out, before he pushed off the ground and propelled himself forward. If it wasn't for adrenaline, he knew that this wound would hurt a lot worse than it already did, which was not a good thing.

_At least, _he thought sardonically, looking down at the weapon that was coated in his blood, _I have something to defend myself with._

The shinobi behind him was catching up again and this time Kakashi was ready. He reached for his hitai-ate and pulled it up. His left eye opened and the sharingan activated, whirling and spinning, already accessing the situation.

He looked back and saw before the man even moved to act, a similar attack as the last time. When the kunai flew, he could see the small glimmer of the last hidden knife. He grunted and dropped to the side as the first four flew past him, then sunk back to the left as the fifth flew past him only to be caught with his hand and sent back to it's owner.

The shinobi behind him had just enough time to see the tip of his kunai barreling towards his face before he ducked. Fine hairs at the top of his head split and fell behind him, drifting to the ground. His hand flew to his head briefly before his hands came together.

_Uma._

His sharingan whirled, focused, and saw what was happening.

_Uma._

His hands were now up as well, copying perfectly.

The shinobi's hands flashed through a blur of seals, Kakashi following right behind him. He was in the air, sailing backwards, watching each movement of his opponent. He could see which muscles tensed, which fingers twitched to move into their next sign before the man even could finish it.

The back of his heel skimmed the floor and he pushed off, once again in the air.

_Saru._

Now the shinobi was copying _him._

_Saru._

The shinobi's eyes widened a fraction as he saw the silver haired man in front of him mirror his actions perfectly. It was as if he knew what he was going to do before he even did it!

Then he saw it. The man's left eye. It was red and it was spinning and it was not at all the same as his other black one. It was a sharingan.

It was the Copy Nin.

_Aw, crap, _thought the shinobi just as he made another hand sign, _I get to go up against him._

Well, this would make his victory all the more sweet once he was brought down. Who knew what kind of prizes and praise he would receive when he defeated him?

_Tori._

There was a crash in front of them and he thought he heard Sakura scream, but he had to keep his attention on the shinobi. He _must, _even though every particle of his body wanted to do the exact opposite.

There was another resounding crash and Kakashi saw as he whisked by, an unconscious kunoichi, blood coming out of her nose in torrents.

_She can handle herself, Kakashi, _he told himself, and he calmed and focused all his concentration on the movements of the seals.

_Hebi._

There was a tickle on his senses and two more nin, a male and female, were bounding up on either side of his opponent. They readied their kunai.

_O-ushi._

With a flick of their wrists, they came hurtling towards him. He could not stop unless he wanted to ruin everything.

His opponent flexed. The last sign.

His fingers moved, twisting, cupping-

-his chakra flickered and flared to life-

-_Tori!-_

- He moved again just a fraction before the other shinobi, and his sharingan spun one last time, saw the end, and released.

"Shattered stone!"

The floor rumbled, shifted, and then rippled in a rocking explosion of dust and smoke before rising into dozens of long, thin shards of stone, knocking the flying kunai out of the way as if they were merely pebbles being thrown against a building. The shards collected and formed a deadly wall, sharp ends pointed outwards and in front of an impending collision.

The shinobi saw the Shattered Stone technique activate and for a moment, he thought that it was him that had done it. But it couldn't be. His hands were still bent in O-ushi.

Then he realized that the Copy Nin had brought it up and his friends were gone, skidding and falling onto the floor as they stopped so abruptly and he was still moving, momentum propelling him forward, and he could not _stop-_

Kakashi heard the man's scream before it was cut short as he ran himself through the shards. There was a squelching sound as the first of the many points went through him, separating him from life, stretching him into so many parts until his body could not hold under the strain any longer.

His body ripped, blood spraying and hitting the walls, coating them. Bone snapped, skin tore, and the sound of muscle and flesh tearing under the sharp, jagged rock filled Kakashi's senses. The man had split himself into hundreds of shredded bloody hunks meat. Gore fell from the rock. Rivers of crimson ran down the deadly stone and dripped to the floor, staining where it landed.

Behind the wall, he heard the shriek of the kunoichi that had stopped in time. It was so loud and so shrill, it curdled his blood, but he could not stop. Stopping meant death. Kakashi turned away and ran forward.

Ahead of him he saw Sakura, in the air, twisting away from another foot that threatened to knock her in the side of the head. The kick missed her by a mere second before she twisted back into herself and lashed out. Both her feet came together into a powerful spear of strength, catching the man on his chest before she powerdrove him into the ground, pinning him to the stone with her feet as they skid, shredding his clothes and skin before she jumped off him and vaulted down another hallway.

Kakashi passed the man on the ground, not wanting to look down. He was still conscious and was probably experiencing all the feelings that came with the back of his arms being shredded.

He followed Sakura, vaulting sideways and kicking off a wall, sending him flying directly towards a kunoichi that was about to dig a kunai into Sakura's back. They connected and they tumbled. Kakashi took out the kunai he had stolen from his front pocket – it was still wet with his blood – and drove it into the nearest part of her body.

There was a gurgle and the kunoichi went still, the kunai lodged into her neck. Blood sprayed and stained his mask, but he was already off. He saw Sakura lash out at another man and, with a well-connected blow, she backhanded him in his face, breaking his nose and sending him flying backwards. Kakashi's eyes widened a fraction just before he narrowly dodged the body. He recovered and pushed off the ground again.

Four more shinobi dropped around them – two of them the accomplices from before – and he and Sakura had yet to reach the end. He kicked out and elbowed one of them, causing them to reel and trip, but another one was quickly replaced followed by two more. He barely had time to duck a punch only to be knocked roughly to the side. He shook himself and bound forward, trying to break free of the mass of enemies.

A hand grabbed his ankle. He lurched in mid-air and for a moment, he thought that he had somehow got stuck, before he was sent propelling backwards, flying through the air into a wall. His back smacked soundly against the stone and the air left his lungs. He gasped as he slid down only to be sent flying again by a kick to the side. He skipped and rolled against the ground, chest flaming with pain. In his haze, he saw kunai come sailing towards him, but this time he was ready. He pushed off the ground and the blades missed his face by inches. He raced forward, rushing to catch up to Sakura who, by now, was probably many meters away.

No. That was far from the truth. Just a few seconds of running and he saw Sakura and two shadow clones, surrounded by what he quickly guessed was half a dozen nin. Kakashi's throat constricted and pushed off so strongly, he whistled through the air, a human missile.

Sakura ignored her throbbing ankle and dislocated shoulder, the need to get away still burning much more strongly that any feeling of pain. One of the six shinobi that surrounded her lunged. She dodged, ducking and raising her leg in a kick that send him crashing into one of his friends. She felt no satisfaction as she was running on pure instinct and only the barest of conscious intellect. She only had time to dodge another blow, duck another punch, and ignore the slice of a kunai as it slid across her cheek.

_Get away._

Sakura tested her left hand, seeing if she still had movement with the dislocated shoulder. She did and she brought up her fingers. Her hands moved quickly between seals.

"Bunshin no jutsu!"

Two other Sakuras appeared and they were already off fighting in different directions, pummeling and striking out at whatever came towards them. Sakura, even with her driving instinct and burning adrenaline was already beginning to notice the suppressing feeling of exhaustion.

_Chakra low._

_Must get out._

A hand came forward to grasp her face, but Sakura spun out of the way. She looked down at the hand and attacked it with the closest weapon she had.

Her mouth.

The man screamed as her teeth pierced his skin and muscle until she could feel his bone. Blood filled her mouth, but she would not let go. Instead, while he screamed in shock and pain, she raised her arm and brought it down against the back of his elbow. His bone popped out from his joint, his arm bending at the most awkward of angles. Only then did Sakura let go.

She did not bother to wipe away the blood that dribbled down her chin. All she did was turn to face her nearest opponent who immediately flinched away in horror. Dimly, she realized that they were afraid of her.

She wasn't sure what she thought of this. She wasn't sure of much at that time. All she knew that she had to get out.

_Must get out._

She screamed a feral scream and charged towards another, aiming another punch at another head. They dodged and countered, knocking her soundly on the chin, but the buzz of pain went unnoticed as she attacked again, this time bringing them to the ground.

Sakura continued to fight, turning around and knocking away whomever came towards her, lashing out with everything and all that she had. Her heart thundered, her mind rushed, and she could smell and taste blood-

Then pain. So much _pain…_

Kakashi flew into the fray, knocking into the nearest shinobi, sending them flying. He and Kakashi tangled in the air, arms and legs fighting for dominance. They landed, and Kakashi won, taking the flat of his hand and driving it into the man's chin and up, popping and breaking the jaw and severing the tip of the man's tongue with his own teeth before those either flew off in different directions or were swallowed.

The man lay twitching beneath him, drowning on his blood before he pushed back and threw himself at another.

Sakura could not breathe. She could. not. _breathe._ Something was stopping her and she was _dying -_

_- Must get out -_

_­_-And she looked down at the dagger digging into her side with dizzying amusement, dimly realizing that whoever had given her such a nice gift had driven it right into her left lung, puncturing it.

_So, _she thought, eyes trained on the blade protruding from her side, _that's why I can't breathe. That explains a few things._

Beside her, she felt her shadow clones disappear, and hovering on the edges of her senses she felt more and more people – soldiers and nin alike – come closer in droves. She thought she saw Kakashi beside her knocking a face in with his fist, which pleased her. And then there was a humming in her ears. It grew louder and louder until it was a consistent buzzing that drove out everything.

Her vision blurred, fading in and out. She blinked, puzzled. She had perfect eyesight, so everything should be so out of focus. And things began to turn black and white, which was also peculiar seeing she was certainly not color blind.

And the humming still increased until she realized that it wasn't a hum, it was her blood, rushing through her veins. It was her chakra, flickering and burning like her life and soul. It was her heart that beat so slowly that if she did not continue to listen, she would have thought she was dead. No, she _was_ dead.

Then, silence.

_You've failed._

And Kakashi noticed so many horrible things within the space of a single moment that if he had to experience it again, he would surely kill himself.

When he'd bring down one, there'd be two more to replace him and they'd instantly lunge for him. He recoiled when one of them kicked him in the chest, knocking the breath out of him. He stumbled but instinctively he dug his feet into the ground and countered, spinning around on the ball of his foot and kicking the man with the back of his heel. The man fell, groaning and clutching his neck. Kakashi straightened and turned to face the other, but he was too slow.

Another punch landed on the side of his face, whipping his neck around and briefly causing him to see stars. He tasted blood as he stumbled back. Then there was another fist that somehow escaped him. He flew backwards and crashed into the wall, knocking down a priceless painting. There would have been another, but he jerked his head to the side at the last moment, the man's fist connecting with stone as Kakashi jumped out of the way.

His breath was labored and was coming out in quick, short gasps, the exhaustion and pain weighing heavily on him. His body tensed when four others continued to approach him. He took a step forward to face them, but to his dismay, he did not more. His legs felt like concrete weights. His arms were lead. He could not fight, not all of them.

There were too many of them.

He felt much more approaching. Thinking of such an army made his muscles quiver-

- _This is all going wrong -_

He backed up unwillingly, his instincts kicking into overdrive. _"Run away!"_ they screamed. _"Escape!"_ But even if he wanted to escape, he couldn't. He didn't know where the exit was, so even if hey did try, they might just end up into a worse situation, if that was even possible.

The four nin lunged and Kakashi ducked, brining up his arm to knock the man away only to be interrupted by a blow to the head. The knuckles of the hand dug painfully into his skin as it powered forward until he practically spun at the attack. He grunted and jumped back as two other tried to surround him. He landed-

His leg gave way, cowing under the running and the fighting. His eyes widened as he watched in slow motion as he fell, drifting as if he were in water. He continued to fall until he could feel the stone beneath him. And then he saw the end of his struggle, though it was not the ending he had hoped for.

His body was coming apart.

He rolled out of the way of two kunai and jumped out of the way of a kick, but each movement was done with sheer will only. He could hardly figure out how he was dodging them. He couldn't even begin to think of how he was going to defeat them.

He was so tired. His muscles and chakra cried for him to stop and his adrenaline was all but gone. All that was left was this sluggish slurry that made him weak and exhausted. The injury on his right arm shrieked and throbbed, making his brain squirm and tear within his skull.

And then he felt it again - the small army was getting closer. Soon they would be upon them.

Something within him struggled and fought, thrashing. He would not give in. He would continue to fight and he and Sakura would get out and then… And then…

_This is it. No more. We're finished _

And he looked to her, looked to the girl that had fought with him and lived with him. Now together they would die.

But no, she was already far from him because Sakura had a dagger lodged into her side and the light was fading from her eyes and he hadn't been able to hold her or kiss or any of the one hundred and one other things he wanted because she was _leaving him._

His mind was screaming and he continued to thrash at the bonds that were suddenly constricting him, holding him in place.

_This is _not fair_- _

- A blow to the side of the head caused him to stagger. Another brought him to his knees, and a sound kick sent him sprawling on his stomach. Scrambling, he was able to get an arm free from the chains that had been thrown on him. He clawed the ground, shaking to get up, but a steel boot landed hard on his fingers, and finally he let himself cry out in pain.

"You," said Drein, looking down, "are done."

And Kakashi watched Sakura falter and fold, crumpling to the ground in a heap of dead weight and, for once, he agreed with Drein.

_Yes, _he thought. His voice was so calm and so void of thought, it frightened him.

_I'm done._

--


	14. Stolen and Broken

A/N: **This chapter contains disturbing scenes of violence and torture. You have been warned.**

--

He didn't feel the chains that tightly bound his wrists behind him, biting into his skin and nearly cutting off his circulation. He did not make a sound when he was jerked to his feet and kicked into walking. His mind was a void of darkness, no thought, no feeling. He was alone, his world cold and lost of anything that could ever bring light.

Somewhere within his mind failure burned. It scorched him, taunted him. He had fallen and even though exhaustion bit his muscles and his mind wavered at the loss of blood, he could still feel anger. It was there, buried deep within him, shoved away and forgotten in the moment that Sakura folded.

His eyes were heavy. He was so _tired. _All he wanted was to let himself drop to the floor and sleep. At the thought, his legs wavered and he stumbled, only to be jerked roughly back up and kicked forward.

"Keep goin'!" barked Drein.

Kakashi looked back at him and saw Drein scowling at him. His eyes drew to the plum like mass that was in the middle of his face. He only just realized that it was his nose. It was bruised and malformed and dried blood crusted underneath, all thanks to Sakura.

And within the space of a second, he smiled.

He was kicked again and his happy moment left him, but somehow he was much more awake and attentive. He let his gaze drift left and right, falling on the different shinobi that surrounded them. There were a few unmarked, but there were others that were limping badly, clutching arms, and doing their best to stop a bloody nose with an already soaking cloth. Kakashi looked in front of him at the kunoichi that had almost impaled herself on his jutsu. She was shaking, but he couldn't tell if it was because she was afraid or she was furious.

And then he finally let himself look to his right. He had known Sakura was being carried beside him, but he hadn't dared to turn his head. He didn't want to see her, didn't want anything to be confirmed. But he wanted to look at her so he did. As he looked, he saw that she hung limply in the man's arms, her left arm dangling. She looked pathetic and fragile just laying there. He wanted to take her into his arms and hold her close, keeping her away from anyone who approached. He wanted her but she was so far away.

And then he heard it. The rattling breath that made relief spread into his veins and heart and mind so quickly, he nearly fell at its sudden power.

She was alive, but barely. She was probably in a lot of pain, but she was still breathing and she was _alive. _That was all that mattered. But what would happen next? Would they let her live? Would they let him live?

They stopped suddenly. Kakashi looked up and ahead at the man that stood before them. Around him, everyone bowed and he realized that this man was the leader.

This was Vighan.

Vighan looked at him, dark blue eyes boring into his own. Kakashi was surprised at how evenly he stared back at him. He decided that he was too tired to care.

"Do you know," said the man, deep, cold voice cutting the air, "how much trouble you've caused?"

And then Kakashi knew that their lives would be spared only to be torn asunder over and over again in an endless eternity of pain.

* * *

They had saved her life. Under normal circumstances, she would have thanked them from the bottom of her heart and more so.

Now all she did was hate them with every fiber of her being.

She gasped and fell to the ground as another boot kicked her in her stomach. She coughed and her life blood fell from her lips in the puddle already beginning to form under her. She tried to push herself up, arms straining, but she was so tired. The constant abuse, the lack of sleep, the driving pain… It was all too much for her and her hand slipped in her blood and brought her back down hard onto the ground.

"This is what you get for all the trouble you've caused," explained Drein. He nodded his head towards the soldier looming over her shaking body. The young man nodded and kicked her again, rolling her to her back. Sakura gasped and choked on the blood that had accumulated in her mouth, sputtering.

"You know," said Drein, reaching behind his ear and pulling out the cigarette tucked away, "it would have been better for you if you had stayed put." He stuck the cigarette in between his lips and lit it. He inhaled the tobacco deeply, exhaling a long stream of smoke. He walked towards Sakura who was still struggling, but barely getting a breath in. Drein shook his head.

"Look at ya." He gestured towards her. "You're a wreck."

Sakura was long gone from smart ass comments. She could only manage a dark glare in his direction, her black and blue face contorting into that of pure malice.

Drein raised an eyebrow, amused at her pathetic attempt to continue to fight back.

"Really," he drawled, "have you still not learned?"

He looked to the soldier again and Sakura cried out as the man's foot came down on her hand. She thrashed under him, trying to get away, but the pressure only grew and her cry became a shrill scream. There was a muffled pop and Drein signaled the man to back away. He managed to see her right finger that was beginning to swell before it disappeared under her arm as she clenched it in pain. She screamed his name, but it came out more as a roar of frustration. Drein shrugged and ignored it.

"This is what you get, Sakura," he reminded her for the thousandth time, just in case she had forgotten. "This is what foolish little girls get."

An interesting idea crossed his mind and he smiled happily at the brilliance of it. Taking another drag on his cigarette, he knelt down next to Sakura who was breathing heavily through her teeth, her eyes clenched tight in pain.

"Don't worry," he said in that disgusting seductive tone, "Kakashi isn't receiving any special treatment."

Drein felt evil satisfaction course through his veins when he saw the kunoichi's body still. He pulled back quickly just in case she got any ideas and gestured towards the guard again.

Between another shriek of pain and choking coughs, the door to the cell opened. Drein turned and saw with a mix of confusion and surprise, Vighan. He snapped his fingers to get the other man's attention. The guard flinched and pulled back from his onslaught and came to Drein's side. Both bowed.

"Vighan-sama," said Drein, "what do I owe this surprise?"

"I came to see the prisoner. Has she learned her lesson yet?" Vighan glanced over briefly at Sakura who was shuddering and curled up into a tight ball. She had been stripped of almost all her clothing. Large black and blue welts and harsh red cuts covered her once pale skin like a horrible disease.

"Well," said Drein, crossing his arms and leaning back into the nearest wall, "I don't think so. She keeps fightin' back. I dunno, she's a stubborn one."

"Hm. It's a shame," said Vighan sadly as he walked over to Sakura. "She really is a great person. Too bad she has somehow lost all common sense."

When Vighan approached, Sakura's body grew rigid once more as if the man brought the coldest of storms in his wake. When he leaned down to speak to her in her ear, she lost the ability to take in a breath. So she shook. She shook with anger, fatigue, and fear.

"You know," Vighan whispered to her, his breath hot on her cold skin, "I can get you out of here."

There was a sharp intake of breath, and the longest moment where the only sound was breathing and the occasional exhale of smoke from Drein. And the silence continued and Vighan knew that she would never ask, "How?" so he said for her.

He met more silence, so he continued. "All you have to do to escape… _this…_" and he gestured around them, around at the cold metal walls, the dirty floor covered in only god knew what, and at the two men in the corner of the room waiting for their leader to leave so that they could continue having fun.

"All you have to do," he began again, "is apologize."

"…A…Apologize?"

Drein could hear the bewilderment in her tone. He refrained from chuckling. _She hasn't changed all that much._

"Well," he admitted, smiling, "there is one other condition. You see, your friend, the Copy Ninja, Hatake Kakashi… Well, he hasn't been the most cooperative prisoner. In fact, he actually killed one of my soldiers while they were teaching him some manners. As of right now, he is sitting in his cell as I try and figure out the best punishment for him."

He knew that Sakura was paying attention to every single word that was coming out of his mouth, so he continued.

"Now, you must know that I do not take kindly to that behavior and it must always be paid back in full. I think you know what I mean. So here is the second condition. For you to get out, someone must take your place. That someone is Kakashi."

He pulled back to watch her expression and he wasn't surprised to see her eyebrows draw down into a horrible scowl. Her mouth opened to retort.

"Ah ah ah…" he chided, wagging his finger back and forth. Sakura snapped her mouth shut, but she still kept that defiant glint in her eye.

"Before you say no," he began, "you should know what happens if you don't take my offer. You see, I am a very sensitive man and when my generosity is turned down… Well…" he trailed off, a small smile on his lips. He looked back down at Sakura who jerked her head away from his gaze.

"I don't like it when my kindness is thrown back at me, so if you do not agree to it, you will be put under an even more vicious punishment and Hatake Kakashi will still take your place."

Sakura lay there, unable to think. She didn't want to think. She didn't want to acknowledge the greedy part of her that cried for her to accept Vighan's proposition. It was winning fast, throwing facts at her.

_If you say yes, you can get away from here! Kakashi may have to suffer a little, but at least one of you will get away! You don't want both of you to suffer! You don't want to stay here!_

Sakura inhaled sharply and choked. Her thoughts were overcoming her, mainly those of what would happen to her with her choice. It all depended on her and it was a fact that she did not bode well with.

"You're taking too much time," said Vighan suddenly and he snapped his fingers. The guard at the end of the room jolted at the abrupt sound and rushed forward. Vighan pointed.

"Remind her just what kind of world she would be leaving."

Sakura cried out as the toe of the guard's book stabbed her sharply in the back. She arched and writhed on the floor before she was roughly grabbed by her wrists and dragged across the ground. Her legs thrashed out instinctively as she fought to get away.

The guard ignored her pathetic attempts of escape. He dragged her over to a set of chains and cuffed her wrists tightly in the thick iron. The moment his hands retreated from hers, she trashed out, rolling herself onto her knees with the best of her ability before throwing her weight at him. The chains rattled loudly as they skid across the floor with her speed before they snapped taunt and wrenched her back down to the floor.

Drein laughed in the background, his cigarette dangerously close from falling from his mouth as he watched Sakura recover on the ground.

"This just keeps getting better and better!" he exclaimed, grinning wide. He crossed to the side of the room where a wheel was sticking from the wall wrapped in chains that rose to the ceiling through a pulley. Those same chains were now bound to Sakura, holding her tightly. He continued to chuckle as he slowly wound the wheel, pulling the chains tighter and tighter before Sakura began to rise off the ground. She twisted her body as it straightened until her arms were well above her head and her toes were just barely grazing the ground.

"Don't worry girlie," said Drein, locking the wheel in place before reaching to a nearby table and grabbing a black coiled object, "this is only the beginning."

The only warning was a sharp whistling before sharp, stinging pain lanced up and down her back as the tip of the whip came down strong and true. She cried out and arched herself away to try and avoid the weapon, but it was no use as it came down again and again until her skin was covered in long bloody welts. Tears had long since stopped coming, but her voice still worked. A hoarse scream erupted from her mouth as the whip came down over and over. The pain was not as nearly as strong as that of her helplessness and the crumbling feeling of giving in.

"Stop," said Vighan suddenly, and the whipping ceased. Sakura slumped, exhausted. Each reaction was sapping her muscles of strength and all of her screaming had taken the air out of her lungs. Her arms felt like they were going to pop out of their sockets, but that feeling was far down the list of things to pay attention to.

Sakura grunted and managed to raise her head to get a better look at Vighan. He still looked calm and in control and it infuriated her, but her anger was not enough for her to at least try and grab him.

"This," he began, "is the world you would leave. Now, are you telling me that you would rather stay here? If that is so, then you either have a high tolerance of pain, like pain, or you are just too damn honorable for your own good.

"I don't get it." Vighan slowly began walking around the room, his hand holding his chin in thought. The heels of his boots scuffled the ground with each step, echoing through the dungeon. "How can you actually even second guess such an offer? It's quite obvious which the more logical choice is. In fact, it's far more stupid than words can describe." He stopped in front of her, eyes level with hers.

"I know you know this."

Sakura looked back at him for what seemed like forever, and eventually a smile broke her lips.

"Well yeah," said Sakura hoarsely, "of course I know which is smarter. But that doesn't mean it's the right choice."

Vighan's eyes flashed with malice for the briefest moment before a small smile graced his features. He chuckled softly.

"Said like a true ninja."

"You have Kakashi to thank for that. I was taught only the best."

"Hm. So, I take it you turn down my offer, even if it means that both you and Kakashi are going to suffer a fate even worse than death?"

Somehow Sakura managed to shrug, but it was that sarcastic expression of hers that really did the trick.

"I dunno," she said nonchalantly, "death really isn't that bad."

Vighan's hand twitched. He refrained from smacking her. Instead he pulled back, reigned in his emotions, and flashed her that eternally chilled look of his. "Yes, we'll see what happens. I'm sure your opinion will change. In the meantime, get used to your surroundings. They're the only things you're going to see for a long time."

Vighan turned on his heel and walked brusquely towards the door, but before stepping over the threshold, he stopped. Turning his head slightly in her direction, he said, "I will come back again. Perhaps after time you will change your decision."

Vighan disappeared and the door slammed shut. The echo resounded through the room and Sakura couldn't help but shudder at the decision she had made. It really was a stupid choice and she knew it. She could only imagine the look of Kakashi's face if he ever found out what she had done.

_Kakashi, please forgive me._

Then the whip came down on her back, stretching the seconds into hours, and yet, for some odd reason, she did not regret anything. She may have felt foolish and she knew that perhaps yes, her world would now be hardly worth living, but she would never take back her words.

* * *

Kakashi looked fiercely at the heavy shackles that circled his wrists and ankles with as much hot anger he could muster. After a few minutes, he decided that his fury was just not hot enough to melt the metal and instead switched from trying to conjure up heat vision to tugging half-heartedly at the chains that were bound to the wall he was leaning up against. Eventually he gave that up too and, defeated, he sighed and closed his eyes.

_So close… _His hands clenched tightly. _We were so close!_

Freedom had been in their grasp, but in the end it had slipped from their fingers and was locked away far from their reach. Now, when he was left with nothing but the memory, it ate at him until he was a frothing mess of regret and anger.

They had missed their only opportunity and they were paying the price. He had only experienced a fraction of what they were capable of doing to his life and that was enough for him to want to get away. What had Sakura been through?

_Sakura…_

He couldn't –wouldn't- imagine what kind of hell she had to go through now that their escape had been thwarted. What tortures would she experience just because they –_he_- had failed?

His throat clenched as an unfamiliar feeling overcame him accompanied by hundreds of others, but the most distinct one was anger towards himself. If only he had been quicker, or faster, or had made better decisions, they wouldn't be here. Sakura wouldn't be here.

_And we had been so close!_

He struck the ground with his fist, the chains rattling in the quiet of his cell. He sighed and his fist relaxed. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift off into whatever devices it wished. It wasn't as if he was going to be going anywhere anytime soon.

_So now we're trapped… again… and there is a good chance we might just die here._

Well, he didn't want to dwell there. He changed topics.

_This cell smells. I think something died in here._

His new cell was small, cramped, and smelled much more foul than his old one. The walls were rough and covered in grime and closed around him. The air was rank and humid and it made him sick.

_I really do think something died in here. Maybe I'll be the next one to join them._

What was wrong with him? Was he already falling into his great depression? It hadn't been all that long since he had changed cells after he had killed that ninja.

_Let's try one last time._

So he let himself fully relax, wiping away anything that had to do with old dungeons, chains, and capture. He drew within himself and let his mind fill up with whatever laid far within the walls of his depression. When he found what he was looking for, he sighed in content.

Pink hair, startling green eyes, strong figure, and an amazing scent that only belonged to one person, filled up his mind to the brim until the only thing that he could feel and experience was her.

_Much better._

His Sakura smiled at him and he drew close, putting his arms around her. Even though it was only an illusion conjured up by his imagination, he could still feel her warmth and touch her soft hair. It all felt so real he almost forgot that Sakura was far away from him and he would probably never see her again.

His grip on her tightened. "Don't leave me," he whispered into her hair, but to his dismay, she disappeared and his arms grabbed air. He looked around wildly to see Sakura far from him, a sad expression on her face.

"But I can't stay."

"What?" Kakashi asked worriedly, "what do you mean?"

Sakura looked around at the world that Kakashi had made up and as her gaze drifted across the golden plains and reddening skies, the lands rippled and briefly, cold darkness shone behind it.

"Because this isn't real," she said softly, looking back at him. "And you know that."

So what if he knew that? He could still dream. He was always allowed to dream. It kept the truth at bay and far from his mind. It kept him sane.

"You can't go," he said seriously, eyes narrowing. "You can't leave me alone."

Sakura stood there, eyes growing even darker in the fading light. An expression that could only be interpreted as pity molded onto her face, smoothing out any lines of regret that started to show.

"Even if I wanted to stay, I couldn't. I'm not real. It's time for you to face it." Her gaze fell to the ground, her shoulders slumping. "I have to go," she said forlornly. "Goodbye."

She turned and walked away and Kakashi felt himself tear. He ran after her, but the faster he went, the further she drew away from him until she was gone far beyond the horizon.

"Sakura!" he cried out, but his voice was silenced by the oppressive darkness that had suddenly come over him. He tried to escape, but he was already in the depths of his soul. There was nowhere else to go but out.

So Kakashi opened his eyes and looked at the stone wall ahead of him. It hadn't changed, still standing there and blocking him from his freedom, from Sakura. He moved to take it down, but the chains continued to hold fast and he jerked back into the wall.

Kakashi sunk low to the ground, suddenly very tired. He glanced down at the chains that had stopped him from attacking the wall. It was just as well; he wouldn't have been able to do anything except perhaps cause a few bruises. That wouldn't help him much.

_It might distract me for a few seconds. _

He sighed heavily. It was going to be a long imprisonment, even longer when he no longer had Sakura to dream about. She was gone now that reality had kicked him hard in the ass, demolishing his fantasies. Now whenever he thought of her, the only thing he could see was darkness, or whatever torture devices he could think of. Neither left him happy.

The door to his cell suddenly opened and a dark silhouette appeared in front of him, blocking the exit. He smelled tobacco and smoke so he closed his eyes, not needing to look at the man to identify him.

"So Drein," said Kakashi softly, "did you finally think of a punishment?"

"Actually," replied the man, leaning against the doorway, "your girlfriend did that for me."

Kakashi's eyes shot open, suddenly very awake. "Sakura?"

Drein snorted and Kakashi could imagine a very bored look on his face.

"Yeah, she's still fightin, but…" Drein trailed off into laughter and Kakashi felt a growl build in his throat. Just what was he laughing at?

"But I'm not here to talk about that. I'm here to take you to your new 'quarters.'"

"Hm. And just what are these quarters like? You said that Sakura decided for you?"

Drein shrugged. "It's more your fault. You know, she's a really stupid girl. She'd rather stay here with you then go free. Said you're to thank for that."

Kakashi was torn between feeling proud for her honorable choice, or the desire to throttle her if he ever saw her again. She should have taken the chance to get free. She should have gotten out. But no, his teachings had kept her here in this hellhole with him. She was suffering because he had always taught her "friends don't abandon friends."

Now he was split three ways. Now he also wanted to bang his head against the wall to try and knock his stupid ideas into some semblance of intelligence. He wondered briefly how Drein would respond if he had suddenly taken on his beatings himself.

"Good for her," he found himself saying quietly.

_But stupid of her. So very, very stupid._

* * *

Sakura screamed. She screamed until her lungs were ready to burst. She screamed because she had been saved only to make her life so horrible and utterly disgusting that she hated living. She wanted to _die._

She beat her hands against the wall, threw herself around, punching and lashing out at whatever she could. She couldn't use her chakra anymore, but she didn't care. She'd still scratch and scrape at the stone, kick at the door and shriek at her loss of freedom that was now so far away, it seemed to only be a dream.

Her fingers dug into her hair and she pulled. She wanted to feel pain. She needed to feel pain. It would help her forget what had happened and drive away the nightmares, but pain wouldn't come. It had left her and now she was an empty, bleeding husk.

She shrieked, fingernails clawing at her scalp, at her arms, at her face. She threw herself at the door again, but it refused to move just like the other hundred tries. Then she clawed at the door, running her fingers over the many red lines where her bleeding digits had torn and her fingernails had broken during her crazed attempt to dig her way through the solid iron door.

And then she cried. She cried until her stomach hurt, her chest hurt, and she couldn't breathe. Her fingernails, brushed lightly with her own blood, wrapped around her stinging arms and she slid against the wall into a ball of despair.

After what seemed like an eternity, Sakura was finally going insane.

The first few days were the longest. Pain was fresh and new and continued to stick with her after each beating. Every movement, every breath, was torture for her. One time, she tried to fight back, but that only ended in more kicks and punches and the groping of men.

Her new prison was small, cramped, and her bed was dirty straw. She had been separated from almost all life, and the only company she had was the occasional rat that came to gnaw on her toes in the darkness.

The food was cold, stale, spoiled, or a combination of the three. The latter she avoided. Only when her hunger threatened to overtake her did she nibble away at moldy bread or old crackers. She only ate grains, never touching anything else. Meats and vegetables were more susceptible to disease and she was not about to be killed because she ate a bad piece of meat.

In the end it didn't matter what she ate. She usually threw it up afterwards, either because it was bad, the water made her sick, or it was kicked out of her. During a moment of delirium she wondered just how skinny she must have looked.

"I bet I'm a skeleton," she rambled quietly, staring at the stone ceiling. "Ah well, guys like skinny girls."

Other times, she thought about Kakashi. She thought about his face, his hair, his body, his personality, his voice, his laughter, his smell. She thought about everything that she could think about him. She wanted him to be with her. In fact, he was all that she thought about. Not her family, or Naruto, or anybody. It was only him and all that he was.

Telling time was what she did when she wasn't being beaten or when she couldn't fall asleep. She recalled the different meals she had been served. She was given food every three days. First it was porridge, then scraps, then a piece of bread or some other grain food. Her stash had four different servings and she had already eaten five, so she guessed around twenty seven days had passed.

_Nearly a month. Just how much more time will pass?_

Then her time telling would be interrupted by a man who would proceed to drag her off her pathetic straw bed and beat her, just to watch her twist in pain.

Those were the first few weeks. Sakura had yet to taste hell. Now, after all the beatings, the lack of light, and the biting feeling of being utterly alone, during one of Drein's visits, something within her snapped. She had jumped and lunged for him, thrashing, kicking, biting her anger, sadness and despair in such a crazed and wild fury that Drein fled. She raced after him only to run into the door, beating her fists against the metal, screaming hoarse curses until her mind could not supply anymore.

Now, sitting on the ground and crying, she was afraid that her spirit had shattered. Her mind certainly had, her body was far from gone, but her _spirit_? If that was gone, than there was nothing left to do except wait and die.

So she stopped crying and did just that.

* * *

After the second month, Sakura didn't care. In fact, she didn't care about much anymore, even death that had surprisingly not come. Nobody and nothing came, seeing that they didn't want to be on the wrong end of a crazed girl. Sakura didn't rejoice or cry or show any emotion. She just lay there in silence, counting the rocks.

"2,354."

She finished. She waited for somebody to come. Perhaps someone would muster up enough courage to come in her and kick her face in. But no one else came to her, so she counted again. And again. And again until two more weeks passed. On the third week, Sakura's routine of waking up, going to the bathroom, and counting rocks, was interrupted.

The kunoichi was lying on her bed when she heard voices. At first she thought her mind was playing tricks on her. She hadn't heard voices in what seemed like an eternity. They continued so Sakura decided she wasn't crazy and listened in. She recognized the voice of Vighan. With him she heard the deep murmur of Atsushi.

_Atsushi… _Anger bubbled within her veins. It roared within her, seeping through every small part of her body. It woke up her stagnant mind, sharpening it and homing it on one thought: to hurt. To hurt real bad.

The lord stood on the other side of her door, looking down at her through the bars of her window with a look of disgust mingled with pity.

"She smells," she heard him say, "and she's dirty. What have you been doing to her, Vighan?"

"Me?" said the gang leader. "Oh, I haven't been doing anything to her. That would be my guards. As you know, she," and he gestured towards her, "along with Hatake Kakashi had caused me a lot of trouble a while ago. I lost many men and there was much damage done to my home. They deserve punishment and my guards are just the people to carry it through seeing it was their comrades that were killed."

He looked back to Atsushi who was still staring at the broken woman who lay in the cell.

The lord of Unon couldn't believe that such a pleasant girl had done so much killing and destruction. But still, even after all of that, did she deserve this insanity? It was clear she was going through some of the most dark and painful experiences that could ever be conjured up by man. He himself would have died long ago. But this... this _girl_ had to wade through each agonizing moment on her own. He could clearly see the strain that it put on her body and to go through it at such a young age and all alone…

Guilt clutched at his heart when he thought of his son who he knew had a fondness for her. He had told Yuu that Sakura and Kakashi had left, their job done, but he knew that his son was not that easily fooled. Yuu knew what kind of business Atsushi did behind closed doors. How was he going to explain her state to him?

He wasn't. Ever.

_These are the sacrifices that must be made, _explained Atsushi silently to Sakura. _This is what must be done to help my family. Surely you must understand?_

He asked himself the same question and was startled when he replied, _"No, I do not."_

Vighan interrupted him, startling him. "Besides," he started again, "they get bored watching the prisoners every night."

They were talking about the guards again.

"Their environment doesn't change much down here," explained Vighan. "So, on occasion, I let them have a little fun." He said this as if he was telling Atsushi what time it was.

Vighan looked at Atsushi with that calm, cold stare that made anyone uneasy. Atsushi shuddered.

"Besides," Vighan said with a shrug, "who am I to deprive them of some stimulation?"

"Yes," said Atsushi bitterly, "what man are you? And with that question leaves another."

"Which is?"

"What man am I?"

_You're a dead man! _

Sakura sprung up and with blinding speeds reached through the bars, grabbed onto the front of Atsushi's robes and bashed him against the metal. His head connected with a sound 'ding!' and the lord slumped against the door. Sakura didn't stop; she continued to slam him against the door over and over until Vighan pulled the man's unconscious body from Sakura's grasp. Even then, Sakura reached through the bars, clawing at the men, fury fueling her every action.

"You bastards!" she screamed, her voice hoarse, "I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you!"

Vighan stood just out of Sakura's vengeful grasp, watching her like a lion would watch his prey. Seeing his calm, mirrored gaze only infuriated Sakura even more. She banged against the bars, kicked at the dirt, clawed at the air, and cursed their names over and over until her voice was gone. Yet she continued until she too fell to the ground, exhausted. All that she had left within her, all her anger and frustration had been released. Now she was left with nothing. So she slept.

Vighan watched from a safe distance away, Sakura attempting to reach him. Her fingers strained to grab him and show him the same fate that had befallen Atsushi. As he watched her snarl and claw towards him in vain, he was suddenly reminded of a rabid dog he had seen in his childhood. He had been found on the streets, walking awkwardly down the road, his mouth riddled with foamy slobber. The locals had caught and caged the animal to prepare him for proper disposal. He remembered looking at the ragged animal from afar, the mangy mutt snarling and throwing himself against the bars, chewing at the metal in an attempt to escape. He remembered looking into his eyes and seeing nothing but a crazed fire that had once been its spirit.

When he looked into Sakura's eyes, he saw the same thing. He had finally broken her and reduced her to the slobbering mutt that had been killed that day long ago. She had lost almost all of her essence, in turn stripping her mind bare until the only things able to exist were the most primal of thoughts. He found these turn of events to be positive ones. Perhaps now, whatever silly ninja notions she previously had were now gone and he could work out a better deal with her.

The crazed look in Sakura's eyes suddenly faded and disappeared all together. He watched as her eyes closed and she fell away from view, her arm slipping through the bars. He heard her fall to the ground and realized that she had fallen unconscious. Her actions must have taken much more out of her than she had intended.

"I suppose that is my cue to leave," he murmured to no one in particular, seeing that Atsushi was far from being able to hear him. Thinking of Atsushi, Vighan realized just how heavy the man was becoming. He dropped him all together onto the ground and left to go get one of the guards to pick him up.

After getting the guard, ignoring their embarrassed looks when they were caught playing cards, he left to his private chambers to think. He had grown lonely as of late and longed for a female companion. He had gone through many, each one as intolerable as the last. He knew it was because one particular woman was in his thoughts and absolutely refused to leave.

_After all these years… _he thought idly as he opened up a nearby cabinet and looked over the numerous wine labels. He was in the mood for a red wine that night and when he found what he wanted, he carefully removed the green bottle from its spot on the shelf. Picking up a crystal goblet, he poured himself a reasonable amount of the wine. He wandered over to the fireplace on the far side of the room and settled himself into a plush chair. He sipped from his glass, cradling it in his fingers, and watched the flames within the hearth flicker and dance.

It wasn't long in the silence before his traitorous thoughts wandered back over to Sakura. Their relationship was a… peculiar one, for lack of a better word. He guessed that she hated him, and he hated her in return, but that didn't stop him from feeling what he currently was. In fact, it only seemed to intensify his thoughts until all that he could think about was her. He recalled the first time they had met.

_Vighan waited patiently for his escort to arrive. She was not late, but he still couldn't help but wonder if she would show up at all. His request, when he submitted it, had been vague and indescribable, and he knew that. He had hoped that, even through his ambiguity, that someone would come. The path he was about to take, the plans he had made, were bound to place him in danger's way. He needed someone to watch over him when he went over his business. He could take care of himself for the most part, but the different environments and people he would be meeting in the near future were far beyond any of his talents. There was only so much he could defend against without being torn to bits._

_He looked up to the sky and shielded his eyes from the blinding sunlight. It was nearly noon, meaning their meeting was rapidly approaching. He looked back down the road and unconsciously ran his hand through his hair, a gesture of anxiety. Maybe nobody would show up and he'd have to go through with everything on his own. The future looked incredibly bleak indeed._

_Then he saw it, a figure appearing just beyond the horizon of the road. He squinted and tried to get a better look, but they were still too far away. He straightened and walked to meet them, tired of waiting._

_As he grew closer, he realized that the figure was a woman. She appeared to be in her teens. She was of average height, perhaps a little taller with strong arms, well-rounded legs, and a pleasing body all together. She was pretty, but not overtly so. There was a simplicity behind her looks, giving her a healthy balance of beauty. She had green eyes, shapely jaw, and hair that was the color of sakura blossoms._

_For a split second, he thought that this young woman couldn't be his escort, but he saw the flash of her hitai-ate nestled neatly on top of her head behind her bangs. Vighan faltered in his steps when she smiled at him and he had to remind himself that she was a jonin, a top nin within her village. She was more than just a pretty face._

"_Hello," she said, waving, "I am guessing that you are Laramen Vighan?" He noticed she stumbled lightly at his foreign name and he nodded. _

"_Yes, but please, call me Vighan. And what might I call you?"_

_She stopped before him, her eye level just barely below his. She smiled and bowed. "My name is Haruno Sakura. You may just call me Sakura."_

_Vighan suppressed a laugh at her name. The similarity between her name and her hair was not lost on him. _

"_Very well. Sakura it is then." He watched her straighten then and she smiled once more, but he noticed that somehow she had changed. It was as if she had suddenly grown tough around the edges and her soft demeanor hardened. She scanned the area around them and gestured down the road. _

"_Vighan, if you like, we can be on our way."_

_He realized that she was serious in her duties and he nodded in reply. As they began walking, he glanced at her, watching her. She was alert and watching out for anyone that might cause him harm. He smiled briefly and looked back down the road. _

Their meeting had been brief, but their journey had been long. There were so many close calls and some incidents when he thought she might leave him all together, but in the end, he always won out and she would continue to follow him. He had counted on this, knowing her duty went before all else. What he hadn't counted on was the growing fondness for her as they traveled together. He couldn't help but watch her within the darkness when he feigned sleep, or admire her when she wasn't looking. A few times he had snuck and watched her bathe. The first time he had seen her nude, shimmering with cold water from the river, there had been an almost violent lurch in his abdomen and lower areas and he knew that he was certainly physically attracted to her. But emotionally?

He had almost been convinced that his attraction went nothing beyond the sexual kind until he had left her the night his true intentions had been unveiled at the very end of their journey. When he had left her wounded and alone, there was a wrenching on his heart and he had almost turned back around to grab her and take her away with him.

A very sudden, very violent anger overtook Vighan and he hurled his goblet of wine into the fire. The crystal shattered against the back of the fireplace. The flames erupted when the alcohol hit and settled back down, resuming their placid form. He gripped the arms of his chair tightly until the tips of his fingers numbed with lack of blood flow. He vehemently pushed himself out of his chair and he walked brusquely over to his cabinet to get something else to drink. He grabbed a thick crystal jug that was filled with a tawny liquid. Instead of grabbing another glass, he simply uncapped the container and tipped the contents into his mouth. He coughed violently, eyes burning at the strength of the spirit and he had to briefly lean up against the cabinet to catch his breath.

That was certainly not one of his smartest ideas and it didn't even help to forget Sakura. All it did was hurt his throat and sinuses. Angrily, he looked down at the bottle in his hands and took another swig, a much smaller one this time. He wiped his mouth and set the spirit down on a nearby table. Then, he began to pace.

There was no denying it: he wanted Sakura, and he always got what he wanted. And now that she was broken, perhaps persuading her into his chambers wouldn't be too hard.

_Then again, _he thought, stopping during mid pace, _she is always filled with surprises. _

Well, if persuading her posed too much danger, then perhaps he should physically bring her up. At least she was too weak to fight back. Even when he went over this plan and began to summon those who would go retrieve her, he knew that there was still some unfinished business to take care of before he went through with his plan.

* * *

Atsushi sat behind his desk, his eyes staring blankly at the wall before him, lost deep in thought. He didn't know why or when, but somehow his life had taken a turn towards the worse, a turn towards the dark. And now, after all the years of his loyalty and unshakeable belief that what he was doing was right, he finally began to doubt himself and his actions. It had taken Yuu's cold glare of hate to finally shake himself out of his false illusions of nobility and pride and force him to look at what he had done.

_What I have done… _He had done no more and no less than what a demon would, only that his actions were infinitely worse. He, through all of his decisions, had always had the ability to say no, to turn away and break away from the darkness. But he had stayed, his greed, fear, and overpowering urge to scavenge for whatever he could reach kept him from running away. Now he had everything: status, riches, and power, but after everything, after obtaining that level of ultimate material wealth, he was startled and sickened at the realization that his possessions were ill-earned. He didn't deserve them. The families and lives that he had ruined deserved them.

His family had been there for him through the thick and thin, offering a comforting word when something went wrong, or turning a blind eye to whatever illegal dealings Atsushi conducted. They had always been there, and now they left him alone to flay and drown in his mistakes and horrible choices.

And Yuu…

Atsushi's heart clenched. Yuu had found out about Kakashi and Sakura. His son's ignorance to the ninja's plight had been too sweet a thought to indulge. Now whatever love Yuu had for him was thoroughly destroyed and too far gone to be salvaged. Atsushi had felt pain before, but the total hatred that Yuu had for him burned more than a thousand fires.

Yuu's hate hurt, but so did Atsushi's own guilt. His hand went up to his face and gingerly touched the bridge of his nose. Sakura had every right to smash his face in and more. It was he who led her and Kakashi into that horrible trap and he who kept Konoha in the dark about their situation. His eyes drifted down to the half finished letter addressed to the Hokage Tsunade, the handwriting a perfect imitation of Kakashi's scrawl. Angrily, Atsushi swept his hand across the desk, sending papers and inkwells clattering to the floor. The still wet letter smeared against the floor and bled black as the spilt ink flooded the carpet. Atsushi roughly pushed his face into his hands, growling out in a mix of frustration and sorrow.

"What am I doing?" he asked the world in whole, but the world remained silent. He almost asked again, but his throat clenched up and refused to make words. With anguish, he ran his fingers down his face and let them fall limply to his sides. Tears inadvertently filled his eyes and dropped down his nose and onto his desktop. He continued to let them fall, his silent howl of guilt and pain.

"I'm sorry," he whispered so quietly, even he strained to hear it. His face lifted and his tear blurred eyes blinked and stared at the ceiling. "I'm so sorry…"

There were so little things he could do to make up for his actions, if there were any at all, but if there were, then he would do all that he could to help make them happen. Dashing his tears away with a harsh blink, he pulled open drawers and shifted rapidly through papers and knickknacks, eyes darting quickly through all the junk. With a cry of triumph, he pulled out what he was looking for; a small box. He shook it and inside there was a clear, sharp jingle. He nodded and, snapping the drawer shut, he pushed himself out of his chair and strode quickly to find Yuu.

* * *

Kakashi coughed violently when the guard's knee slammed harshly into his gut. He curled and fell to the ground, gasping for air. He had no time to recover though as another kick sent him rolling. He clawed the ground, trying to grab something so he could relieve the tension of pain that went through his entire body.

"And just think," said the guard, "there's a whole lot more of this ahead of you."

Kakashi was too slow in biting his tongue and he sarcastically spat out, "So I'll be able to see your ugly mug every day? I look forward to it."

The man snarled and kicked Kakashi again and again until the jonin was spitting up blood and moaning softly on the ground. The guard leaned down and whispered harshly into his ear, "You best shut your smart mouth or else I'll be cutting your tongue out. You got it?"

Kakashi could only manage a wheeze before the man pulled away and landed one last kick for good measure.

"I think that's enough for today," he said, reaching for his belt for his set of keys. "I'll be back in a day or so. Don't go dying on me now!" He laughed and unlocked the door to his cell. He turned and nearly smacked into a chest that had suddenly appeared before him. He looked up slowly into the eyes of Vighan, whose own orbs looked irritated.

"If you don't mind," said Vighan quietly, "I would appreciate it if you would move out of my way."

The guard's mouth moved, but no words came out. Vighan's eyebrow arched and the man mentally kicked himself into action.

"Y-Ye-YESSIR!" he stuttered vehemently before stepping to the side and bowing. "S-sorry sir!"

Vighan stepped past him without another word and the guard left quickly, not wanting to stick around unless the Rebelle leader decided to change his mind and punish him.

Kakashi had regained most of his breath and now was struggling to sit himself upright. He could be so stupid sometimes and now his idiocy had paid the price. But that was far from his thoughts. Now, all of his attention was focused on the man that had just entered. He felt his body tense up instinctively in his presence and he composed himself the best he could in his situation.

"Well," Kakashi said softly, not wanting to abuse his voice any further, "what do I owe this surprise?"

Vighan did not answer. Instead, he paced around Kakashi, similar to how an animal would circle its prey. Kakashi waited patiently, knowing that there was a reason this man was here.

He didn't have to wait long. After a short minute, Vighan stopped before Kakashi. The jonin looked up at him, but the man's eyes were directed at the wall to his left.

"Is it…" began Vighan before he stopped suddenly and shook his head. "No, no, that's not what I want to know."

"Then what is it?" said Kakashi. He was already growing tired. He just wanted the man to say whatever was on his mind and leave him alone so he could rest and perhaps dream a pleasant dream.

Vighan remained silent, brow slightly creased, deep in thought. He shifted slightly and began to speak again, this time, less hesitant.

"Sakura and you are lovers, no?"

That certainly woke up Kakashi a little more. Before he answered though, he rolled the question around in his brain for a few moments. The way he had said it… There was a hidden message behind it. He couldn't quite define what it was, but he had a feeling that it went beyond boundaries he didn't even know existed.

"And if we are?"

"So you are, then."

"I said if."

Vighan looked down at him now, a small smile on his lips, his eyes alight with amusement. "Are you toying with me?"

Kakashi shrugged. "That was not my intention, but perhaps, to you, I am."

Vighan laughed quietly to himself. "Perhaps. But truthfully now, are you?"

Truthfully, he didn't know. Yeah, sure there was something between them, but he could hardly call it a "relationship." He knew that, on his part, there was a certain longing he felt towards her that was suddenly growing far beyond that of the physical kind. But he didn't know what she felt, or if she felt anything at all. There had been no exchanges of any kind that made him think that their might be something else between them.

_No, there hadn't been. Not really._

"No," he said finally, "we aren't."

Vighan's sudden, sharp laugh cut the air and Kakashi couldn't help but frown. The Rebelle leader looked down at him, smirking.

"You aren't? Really?"

"Yes, really," said Kakashi curtly. And he ended it at that.

Vighan eyed him for a few moments more before he pulled back and a sudden light flashed in his eyes.

"Then that makes my mission all the more easy."

"Mission?" A chill stopped his heart only to be burned away by smoldering suspicion. "What mission?"

"Why," said Vighan, looking back down at Kakashi, "my mission to have Sakura as my own, of course."

Kakashi's mind screeched to a halt and stilled completely. All thought processes were spent solely processing what he had just said. When the message came through, his mind began whirling again and breakneck speeds until a feeling within him grew and grew until it could only be recognized as a fierce urge to break through the walls to find Sakura so he could take her far away from everyone else and covet her.

Vighan looked, if only for a moment, startled at the sudden emotions that flashed across Kakashi's face, but he schooled his mask into its proper collected form and he regarded Kakashi with an amused glance.

"I see you aren't too happy about that. I am glad I decided to come down here first to discuss it with you. A suitor asking for permission to court, if you will. Of course, I would have taken her anyways if you had been with her, and I will take her even if you don't agree, but I fancied the romantic idea anyway."

Kakashi remained silent, but Vighan could see that he was fighting with very powerful emotions. It pleased him slightly to know that his frustration and anger was his doing. He wondered if he had ever felt such an emotion before. Watching him for the briefest of moments, he decided that he hadn't. He had said they weren't lovers, and he believed him. But that didn't mean…

He cocked his head slightly to one side. "You love her, don't you?"

Kakashi looked up sharply, so startled at the words that he lost all composure. It took him a few moments to regain his self-control, but once he did, a glare that threatened death overcame his features.

He ground his teeth together, hissing. "You can't have her."

"Why? Because you want her?" he mocked. His words had the desired effect and Kakashi looked down at the ground, shamefaced.

The man was stripping his emotions bare! All it took was one declaration and a flood of emotions long held back came rushing over him in a torrent. Just the thought of him even looking at Sakura, let alone _having _her sent such a hot jolts of anger, possessiveness, and jealousy though his body. They were so powerful that it winded him just as badly as a kick to the gut. And his words…

"_You love her, don't you?"_

_Damn it, damn it… Damn it all to hell!_

"It doesn't matter," said Vighan, forcefully dragging Kakashi out of his thoughts, "I just wanted to let you know. And now I will be taking my leave."

"She won't have you," Kakashi said suddenly, stopping Vighan in his tracks. "She'll never have you. Look at what you've done. She hates you."

Vighan stood silently and Kakashi waited for a response. "Well," he said smoothly, "we'll see about that. Torture does amazing things to a person's mind. Persuasion comes easy to a mind wrought with pain and anguish."

His anger burned hot and livid within him and laced itself into Kakashi's voice. "What did you do to her?" He demanded through clenched teeth.

"Goodbye, Kakashi."

Vighan left without giving him a reply and all Kakashi could do was roar with frustration and anger. He punched the ground, ignoring the stinging of his knuckles.

He hated Vighan. He hated him very, very much. But his visit had shown Kakashi a most important fact, one that made his life difficult, and at the same time, exhilarating. Just thinking about it made his heart race and images flash within his mind.

But suddenly, those images were replaced with those of Vighan and Sakura, together. He was over her, around her, everywhere with her, and he was but a memory, one nearly forgotten. Then, the anger was back and burning with a full force.

He was taking Sakura away from him and there was nothing he could do about it but hate. All he could do was hate the inevitable, the lost chances, and the regretful choices he had made.

A sudden sound startled him out of his spiraling thoughts. The door was opening again and he couldn't help but sigh. So the guard had returned. Sometimes they did that, but today he was hardly in the mood for it.

He looked up and gasped.

--


	15. Once More

--

Sakura was lying on her mat when the door to her cell was opened and an unnamed man stepped in. He moved cautiously, knowing that the pink haired girl was known to go crazy at random intervals. He had been on the receiving end of one of her more violent nights and had nearly lost what was most precious to him after a swift foot had hit him strongly in the groin. That night he decided he was lucky. The girl was silent and unmoving, staring blankly at the ceiling.

The man stared at her for a moment, looking her over. She was deathly thin, her cheekbones just beginning to show. Her arms were smaller, but they still held their shape. He guessed the only reason why she wasn't so skeletal was because of her muscle mass, but she had lost almost all fat. Her eyes were dull, her lips cracked, and her hair oily. Her skin, once pale, was covered in black dirt and her clothes were now a solid brown. She had been in the cell for nearly three months.

The man didn't want to pick her up. She was disgusting! It was his job though and he'd rather sit in a locked room with the girl than face Vighan's wrath. So, he grabbed her by the arms and pulled her up. Wrinkling his nose, he tossed her over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes and left the cell.

Sakura didn't know what was going on. The ground was moving back and forth, suddenly making her very nauseous. If she remembered correctly, the ground usually didn't do that. She struggled to look at her surroundings, but the man carrying her gripped her tightly. If he did so any tighter, she feared she might just throw up on his back.

"Don't be movin now, you hear?" He continued to hold her, so Sakura relaxed against him, waiting for their little trip to be over. As she waited, she watched different cells pass them by. They were each full of people, every one of them just as sickly as her. A few of them looked up at her as they passed, but others didn't pay attention. This was hell and hell wasn't an exciting place.

They stopped and the man said, "Open the door."

"Right."

There was the sound of a door screeching open and they were off again. As they passed, Sakura saw the guard at the door look down at her. She recognized him. He was one of the men who beat her. She spat at his shoes but before he could react, they were beyond the door and out of his sight.

The man holding onto her chuckled, jostling her to and fro, upsetting her stomach again.

"You've still got some fight in you, don't you?" He laughed again. "I guess Vighan was right. You _could _last three months. You're a lucky bitch, you know that? You've graduated from the cells to a nice warm bed." He chuckled again. "A _very_ warmbed!"

Sakura ignored him. He wasn't very exciting and decidedly not very intelligent. Faintly, she realized that he was insinuating things about her and Vighan that should only be met with a sound kick, but life for her had grown almost mind numbing. There was little that bothered her anymore. And yet, even after all of her pain, Inner Sakura was still very much alive and threatened to bring the guard to his knees.

_He shouldn't be saying things like that! Pervert! _said Inner Sakura, clearly furious.

_It doesn't matter, though, _replied Sakura. _It's just hot air. Let it go._

Inner Sakura fumed, but she quieted and left Sakura's thoughts all together.

They were in a hallway and after three months of staring at stone walls, the red carpet and candles that lined the walls were a soothing balm on her eyes. The lights around them stimulated her mind, wakening her from what seemed like a long sleep. The world she had been living in for the longest time had become a hell, her hell. There was no other way to describe the life she had been living.

No, she hadn't been living it. She had been dying slowly within it, and still was. There was no humanly way to exist in hell. But, as they continued to walk and she continued to sway on his shoulder, she realized that she had not been in hell, but a dungeon deep under ground, the very same dungeons she and Kakashi had tried to escape so long ago. Now they were gradually heading upward, leaving the dank, putrid cells further and further behind to fresher air filled with life and vibrant colors and sounds. For a moment, Sakura felt relived and if she had the strength, she would have cried.

_I'm leaving hell. I'm entering life._

Another door opened and they entered a silent room interrupted only by the soft crackling of a fire nearby. Sakura was dropped unceremoniously to the ground. Her mind awake, she felt old pain lancing through her wounds. Lying on the carpeted ground, she listened to the man speak.

"Sir, I brought her."

"Thank you," said Vighan. "You may leave now."

"Yes sir." The man left, leaving Sakura alone with the man that was the center of Sakura's grief, pain, anger, and every single mark or bruise on her body. Sakura had to fight very, very hard to try and not lunge for the man and strangle him with her hands. She tried so hard, she shook violently.

Sakura slowly pushed herself up and looked to Vighan with the coldest glare she could muster. He smiled back at her, not at all noticing her writhing hatred.

"Look at you," he said, stepping closer to her, "you smell, you're sick, and yet you still have this fiery spirit about you. I always liked that about you, Sakura. You never gave in. You kept fighting." He knelt down to meet her at eye level. "You're so strong, Sakura. And yet, you're so weak."

Sakura didn't say anything, but continued to glare at him. When he didn't get a reply, he stood back up and walked to the other side of the room. He picked up a piece of paper and bringing it back to her, he showed it.

"Do you see this?" He pointed to the numerous names scrawled across it. There were many, some foreign. Sakura couldn't help but wonder just how successful Vighan had become.

"These are all the places that I have shipped to," he said, pointing with unabashed pride. "These are the places where I will spark new wars. The entire land will be filled with chaos and I will be there to fuel it all." His eyes were shinning, filled with the prospect of a bright future. "Do you know how much money I will make? Life will be perfect!"

"You're crazy," whispered Sakura. "You and Atsushi. War won't bring money, it'll bring thousands upon thousands of deaths!" She shook her head, staring amazed at Vighan. "You already killed hundreds, no doubt with his help. Now you want to bring even more destruction."

Vighan laughed. "Sakura, I am only a man and men have certain desires. They want power, prestige," he smirked at her and caressed her cheek, "the bed of a woman. I want all of these things because I am a man, a mortal man who wants before he dies. Do you hate me because I desire only what is natural to me?"

She brutally ripped her face away from his touch, but he saw the uncertainty in her eyes. Vighan was slowly altering Sakura's perception, and to his delight it was working wonderfully. Already she was deteriorating before him, caught between his truth and the walls that had been built around her mind. With a few more words, she would be his.

He reached for her face again, tilted her head, and looked at her with his piercing gaze. His eyes were so very cold, but held an unnerving energy.

"You can't hate me," he murmured, "because you know it's the truth."

Sakura sat silently and looked at him, struggling with her own mind. She damned him for his horrible words, no matter how truthful they were. She damned him over and over because he was making her question herself, her morals, ideals, and what she thought was right. He was confusing her and twisting her mind in such a horrible and uncomfortable way she had to force her gaze away and stare at the floor.

"I can hate you for what you did to me," she whispered harshly, trying to hide her uncertainty. "That much is easy."

"Sakura," chided Vighan, "you got what you deserved. Do you know how many people you killed?"

Sakura gasped audibly and she snapped her neck around to face him. She had gone visibly pale. She could feel it. A cold feeling overcame her. She didn't dare ask.

"Do you know how many?" he said again. "I'll tell you. Seventeen. You killed seventeen people, some of which were just innocent bystanders. Now do you think your punishment was unfitting?"

Sakura sat silently, eyes wide with horror. _Seventeen, _echoed in her mind over and over again, slashing at her, eating away at her until she was an aching mess.

_I killed._

_But if you didn't kill, _said a familiar voice, a male voice that sounded as if it could belong to Kakashi, _then you would have been killed. It was either you or them._

Yes. That was how it was. That was a ninja's life. It was either them, or you. There was no way around it. Yes, she could regret the lives lost, but at least she had hers. If she had hesitated, or even gave a second thought to what she had done, she would have been dead.

She scowled at the floor, thinking of Vighan's words and slowly her confusions began to fade away. Somehow, she knew that he was messing with her, getting into her mind. To her horror, she realized it had nearly worked. Now that she had schooled herself and brought her mind into some semblance of order, she knew that she had to pay very careful attention to the man before her.

Sakura sat silently and Vighan smiled in victory, thinking he had the upper hand. "That's what I thought. You can't hate me, or call me crazed. You can't even hate me for what you've been through. Everything I do, all I desire, all the actions I make, is a part of life directed by the decisions of everyone in the world."

Sakura listened to his words and put them into perspective, and saw that they were all true. However, she knew he was just twisting words, denying facts, and omitting truths and when she realized this, she knew just how desperate and pathetic Vighan was.

"You still have the power to deny these desires!" retorted Sakura, "Everyone does! If you cannot refuse these humanly desires, then you are weak!"

Frustration was bubbling within her. Would he ever see what he had become?

Vighan's smirk vanished and was replaced by a firm scowl.

"I am not weak. Look at my world. Look at what I am creating! I have everything and yet you call me weak!"

"Of course I call you weak," said Sakura. "This money is proof of your weakness. You can't break away from your desires. You're a slave to them. You can't fight it; you're just a little boy who wants bigger toys."

Vighan shook with fury. "A _boy?_" His foot came out and kicked her in the stomach. She doubled over and fell to the floor, gasping. "A boy does not have the power to spark wars, bring about mass destruction, and obtain all that he wants. No, only a man with strength can do that!"

"No," struggled Sakura, spitting up blood. "A foolish boy with money can do all of that." She looked up at him with a pitying glance. "And you, by far, are the most foolish of them all."

Vighan's face was red with anger and he looked as if he was about to strike her until she was nothing more than a bloodied pulp. Somehow, he found control. Taking a deep breath, he let it out heavily. Plastering on another smile, he gazed down at Sakura who, even though looked defiant, was hurting badly.

"Well," he said finally, "this little boy has to go and play. I expect you to be cleaned off and dressed when I come back. I have grown lonely these past few weeks and the company I have isn't as fun as you. I'm sure that a warm bath and fresh clothes will help to quell your temper." He crossed to the door and before leaving he looked back in on Sakura who stared at the floor.

"I will see you soon."

When Sakura heard the door shut, she collapsed. There was a horrible pain within her and she knew that it was far from good. She was having problems with her chest again. His kick had only made it worse. Blood dribbled down her lip and hit the red carpeted floor, blending in and disappearing completely. Trying to stand resulted in failure. She gasped as another wave of pain lanced through her chest and into her mind and she coughed violently, shaking with tremors.

What the hell was wrong with her? She just had to continue to run her mouth until she got herself beaten. She was either insane or just plain stupid. She decided that it had to be a potent combination of both.

_At least, _she thought, _he didn't get into my mind._

She curled up on the floor and waited for the pain to pass. As the last few shivers disappeared, Sakura struggled to her feet, gasping at the twinges of pain throughout her body. She almost pulled up her dress to look at the damage, but her hands stopped mid air and she let the fabric fall back down to her frame.

She did not want to look over her body just yet. She didn't want to know what the horrors she had gone through had etched into her body. What she did want was to take up Vighan's offer on the bath. She looked around the large room for a bathroom. There was a big bed, a closet, a desk, a couch, a fireplace, a bookshelf lined with many books, and another door. Reaching for the door, she opened it to reveal a clean bathroom with a bath already prepared for her.

Sakura relaxed at the sight. Stripping her once beautiful dress and tossing it far from her sight, she slipped into the tub, sighing as the warm water soothed her aching body. She continued to sink until she was fully submerged in the water. There were no words to properly describe the sheer joy and pleasure that spread through her body after the long nights in the cell. She had almost forgotten how wonderful a bath could be. But if she had to put it in one word, she would describe it as heavenly.

She rose back out of the water and wiped her eyes. The tub was already gray with dirt and dried blood. She knew underneath the murky water there was a body that was severely scarred and damaged, but in Sakura's mind, if she didn't see it, it didn't exist. She could keep the image of her perfect skin and flawless figure safe within her memories. She tempted the thought of staying completely ignorant to her wounds until the day she died. And yet, some part of her said that even though she didn't see it, she knew it was there. Bitterly, she knew that she would have to look. Sakura swallowed and stood up, finally gathering up enough courage. When she saw, she chocked and practically sobbed at the sight.

She was covered in numerous cuts and bruises, some of the cuts already festering with disease. Those were a sickening yellow and around the wound the flesh was swollen with pus. A few ribs were indeed fractured and it was a miracle none of them had punctured a vital organ. Her once smooth skin was marred with scars, some overlapping each other in twisting ropes. Even her breasts were covered with wounds, rising from her skin in jagged lines. Sakura slowly sank back into the water, refusing to cry.

"I must not cry," she told herself aloud. "I am a jonin. I must not…" she chocked and trailed off, tears welling up in her eyes before spilling over and down her cheeks.

Who was she kidding? She was ugly now. Would Kakashi look at her with disgust now that she was no longer pretty? That thought, no matter how irrational, make her sorrow even larger and she curled up her knees to her chest and began to cry in self-pity.

Crying into her fingers, she saw something of interest and she slowly quieted and pulled back. She stretched her hands out in front of her. Some of the fingers of her right hand were slightly bent and the joints of her last three digits were enlarged. Comparing the two, her left hand was beautiful, her right was ugly. Flexing and clenching both hands, she felt they still worked the same. There was no difference in that, they just lacked beauty. They were still efficient and they wouldn't hinder her. They were, essentially, the same.

Sakura slowly sunk her hands into the water and she stared out in front of her blindly, lost in thought. Someone might look at her and think she was contemplating the mysteries of life. After a long silence, she began to chuckle, then laugh, and then she was out right guffawing. She shook her head and she leaned back against the tub's wall.

"I guess I'm still a victim to vanity," she said languorously, still smiling, but now with an almost amused feel. "Ah well…" She sighed and closed her eyes, suddenly at peace. She was ugly, but she was the same. No amounts of scars and bruises could change that.

"And at least I am not dead," she added out loud, her voice echoing slightly in the empty room. "I'm sure Kaka…"

She trailed off. Where was Kakashi? Had he gone through the same hell as she had? They said he did. Did he survive it? Was he even alive anymore?

"Of course he's alive!" scolded Sakura, splashing at the water. "If I can make it, he sure as hell can!" And yet she couldn't help but feel a cold grip of uncertainly clench around her heart.

"Of course he's alright," whispered Sakura as she busied herself in cleaning. "He's always alright."

The cleaning revealed more damage, but Sakura decided she would live. After carefully washing away the infection from a few cuts, she decided she would have more scars than she would have liked, but she would live. She would need to wrap her chest though. She got out of the tub and dried off with a soft towel nearby. As she moved towards the door, she stopped. She had caught her reflection in the nearby mirror and once seeing it, she couldn't look away.

"Is that really me?" Sakura touched her reflection, surprised. She was very thin, and there was a thin scar that curled around her left cheek, but it was still her. She still had soft lips, pink hair, and intense green eyes. But there was something different about her. She seemed older, much more intense. She looked like all the older woman and men jonin ahead of her. She was one of them now. She had experienced hell and come out of it alive.

"I'm alive," she said again, reassuring herself, _congratulating _herself. "I'm alive." She had made it back in one piece, body, mind, and spirit still intact. No man or hell could break her and the thought caused a proud elation to spread through her veins until she glowed with her triumph.

When Sakura came back into the room, there was a maid there waiting for her with rolls of bandages in her hands and new clothes over her arm.

"I'm here to dress your wounds," said the maid curtly. Sakura nodded and silently let herself be treated. There was no point into trying to strike up a conversation. The woman obviously didn't want to talk to her.

When the bandage was tied off, and the last band-aid was stuck, the maid handed her the clothes and left so that Sakura could dress in peace.

They were simple; a pair of black cotton slacks, matching tank top, and a pair of sandals. Sakura put on the clothes and silently thanked that she didn't have such big breasts or walking around without a bra would be distracting to say in the least. She looked around for a brush to tame her unruly hair. She didn't find one, but she found a comb.

She drug it through her hair quickly, ignoring the small twinges of pain as she pulled away the knots and tangles.

She was clean, she was fixed up, and she was alive. All of these brightened her spirits. However, she couldn't help but think of what else Vighan had in store for her. There was another motive behind his "kindness," and she had a sickening feeling what it was.

"It's nothing good," thought Sakura aloud. "It's never good with him."

* * *

A few hours later, Vighan returned. "You look much better when you're not covered in grime and blood." He looked her over and nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, much better."

Sakura glowered at him, but didn't say a word. _Stay cool. Don't do something stupid. You wouldn't want to add another wound to your already impressive amount. _

"What is it that you want?"

"I believe I already told you," said Vighan, continuing to look over Sakura. "I said that I wish you join me tonight. It gets boring here at times and you take that away."

"And just what exactly," said Sakura through clenched teeth, "is it you want me to do?"

"Oh, you won't be doing anything, not unless I tell you to. And what I want you to do…" He shrugged, smirking, "I haven't really decided yet. I'm sure later on tonight I will think of something."

Sakura suppressed the desire to reach out and castrate him with her bare hands, perhaps bashing his face in for good measure. _Yeah, we'll see how well that turns out. _

Vighan smiled, ignorant to Sakura's murderous thoughts.

"Come, Sakura, it's time to eat. You are hungry, aren't you?"

Actually, Sakura was ravenous. Crackers and bread weren't exactly the most nutritious food, nor was it very filling. Vighan saw the sudden light in her eyes and gestured her to follow. She did so without much hesitation. The hallways were flooded with people, each heading in the same direction. Despite the massive amount of people, there was a comfortable space around her and Vighan, as if there was a protective bubble around them. It did not help to stave off all the glares and leers directed at her.

"I'm sure you'll like the food," said Vighan, completely ignorant to Sakura's troubles as he led her through the different hallways. "Tonight is especially wonderful. We have dinner and a show."

"Great," said Sakura dispassionately, only just stepping out of the way of a well aimed spittle at her feet. She shot the man an icy glare, which he returned in kind, before she stepped up her pace only slightly and out of his sight.

The end of the hallway opened up to a large room filled with people. Six long tables stacked high with food split the room in half, three on one side, and three on the other. A table sat at the head of the others, a large chair at the middle. Sakura assumed this was where Vighan sat.

_Of course he needs something else to inflate that already enormous ego of his, _she thought with sarcastic amusement.It was a proud chair, scenes of battle and hunts intricately carved into the dark wood. Gold and precious jewels were inlaid deeply into the back, twining proudly up and around curved bull horns that sat at the very top. Velvet the color of freshly spilt blood covered the soft cushion of the chair, giving it an almost warm appeal. It looked to be the most expensive thing within the already great room, outshining even the large silver and brass chandelier above, alight with hundreds upon hundreds of warm yellow candles.

Sakura saw with restrained anger Atsushi sitting to the right of the magnificent chair wearing the heavy robes of a lord. He seemed proud and sat straight in his chair, eyes scanning the tables before him as they filled with men and women alike. His pride, however, could not hide his wounds. He had a brace over his nose and he sported a nice purple welt over his left eye, spreading and blossoming out in soft hues of blues and green across his forehead and down his cheek. A clear impression of a bar of metal stood out rather prominently down the side of his right cheek and on his brow and Sakura couldn't help but smirk.

Vighan sat her down to the left of him, her seat not nearly as grand, but pleasing in its own right. Sakura, for the smallest of moments, admired the smooth polish of the wood, before realizing where she was and then the wood suddenly seemed very cold, so she pulled her hand away and put it into her lap.

The moment Vighan relaxed into his chair, the men and women quieted, leaving the room in silence. They looked up to him, waiting with bated breath for their leader to make a move. Sakura thought they reminded her of dogs; their ears were laid flat against their heads and their tails tucked tightly between their legs. She wondered just how long it took for Vighan to have them so thoroughly whipped. Turning her attention to him, she waited along with the others for him to say something, to finally break his indifferent gaze, but she refused to be cowed by him and sat tall and strong, even glaring at him with impatience and contempt. Vighan caught her glare and briefly she saw his surprise followed by hatred when she bruised his pride. Brushing her off with a warning tilt of his eyebrow, he looked across each and every one of the Rebelle before him and, with a wave of his hand, the feast began.

Sakura looked around and watched as the many people began to eat and drink with such a passion and fury, she really did believe they were dogs in human disguise. Sakura recognized a few of them from Unon, their faces seen during her few trips downtown or when she ran small errands. She wasn't surprised when she saw a few of the maids from the manor. She wondered just how many other traitors there were.

"Are you going to eat?" asked Vighan, cutting into a steak. "Or are you going to gawk all day?"

"It seems you've got everybody playing your game," said Sakura, eyes narrowing when she spotted a familiar red head flirt with a few of the men. Her old anger for Yuriko came back with a sharp fury and she had to grip the armrests of her chair to stop her from lunging for the little red haired demon.

"The bigger the team, the better the chance of victory." He continued to eat, leaving Sakura by herself to do whatever with her time as she pleased. Occasionally, he'd sneak glances in her direction to make sure she wasn't going to do anything funny, but as more time passed, he decided she wasn't going anywhere. He knew it would be a foolish idea to try and escape in front of everyone, and he guessed she knew that too.

He smiled to himself when he saw Sakura staring hungrily at all the food spread out before her. Her hands would slowly begin to reach for the basket of rolls before it would suddenly snatch itself back to rest in her lap. He chuckled and Sakura glanced over at him, anger and embarrassment crossing her features.

"The food is not poisoned," he explained, amused. "If it was, I would be long dead." He paused in thought and added, "It is almost too much to ask for, isn't it?"

Sakura flashed him a sarcastic smirk and nodded her head almost imperceptibly.

"You have no idea," she murmured under her breath, looking back at the food, fingers twitching.

The food was peculiar and she did not recognize it. Even the utensils used for eating were different. She saw though that the ninja and soldiers were eating rice and curry and all other sorts of food she recognized.

Looking back down at her own table, she felt a bit baffled. Perhaps this was a much more noble spread? If it was, she had no idea and the more she thought about it, the more she wished she had a simple bowl of rice. Atsushi was eating the food and appeared to be enjoying it and all the other men and woman at the head table were enjoying themselves. It certainly smelled good, but it was just odd.

Sakura did eat eventually, finishing off four legs of chicken, a heaping serving of steamed vegetables, and three rolls. The food was indeed very good and the bowl of rice she had wanted disappeared completely when she forked a steak in front of her. A small part of her told her she would be sick if she continued to eat such large quantities and at fast speeds. As it was, she was gaining rather stunned looks from those around her as she quickly devoured her food.

As she ate, she felt the old flow of chakra begin to awaken within her. _All this good food must be distilling the poison._ She smiled softly to herself and continued to eat, sipping at her goblet filled with clean water.

After she finished eating, she pushed her plate far away from her and scanned the hall. Her eyes drifted over the many hundreds of faces that were stuffing themselves full of food, each one more gruff and scarred than the last. There were the occasional young faces, around her age she guessed, but they were hidden amongst the sea of seasoned warriors.

She froze when her eyes locked with Yuriko's. The red haired woman's eyes widened visibly before they drew down into a furious scowl. Sakura did the same, mustering all of her hate for the woman into a single glare. In her mind's eye, she pictured the young woman's generous locks suddenly bursting into flame, and she smiled at the thought.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, and after her eyes had lost all moisture, she ripped her gaze away from Yuriko, deciding her time was better spent than engaging in a staring eye contest with young woman. Instead - after blinking numerous times to rewet her eyes - she looked over at Atsushi. She watched him quietly, her eyes too tired to glare at him. The longer she watched him, the more she began to realize that something was not quite right with him. He looked almost… anxious, and was certainly jumpy. Each nearby movement caused him to flinch, but he covered it up well. Only she seemed to notice with her consistent staring. She jumped when he suddenly looked at her. She had no time to gauge his reaction for she turned quickly away from him, eyes staring down at her plate. She closed them, giving them a rest from all of her glaring.

The darkness behind her closed eyes was almost soothing, and for brief moments when she could almost block out the guffawing and rough chatter of the Rebelle, the darkness was almost tranquil. She sighed softly and began to think of what she was going to do now that she was deep within the clutches of Vighan. She knew that her situation, however disturbing, was infinitely better than her old one. However, that didn't make her new troubles any less difficult to deal with. She knew what Vighan wanted, but the question was if she would let herself go through with it.

She shuddered, suddenly very sick at the thought. _No, _she inwardly whispered, _I don't want too. _But she knew that if it would keep her out of her old cell, she'd do whatever almost anything for Vighan, however vile it was.

_Her_ situation had changed. What of Kakashi's? Her sickness was suddenly fueled by something entirely different: her guilt. Here she was, clean, fixed up, and digesting a meal fit for three warriors, and he…? If he was still in his cell, he was far from those pleasures. For Sakura to have them made her guilt increase ten fold, threatening to turn her stomach inside out. She picked up her roll from her plate and chewed on it, trying to soothe her stomach with a little food. It helped, but not much.

Vighan suddenly smiled and whispered to Sakura, startling her out of her glum thoughts. He gestured at the makeshift stage to the far end of the room.

"The entertainment is about to start. You don't want to miss this."

Sakura looked up to see what he was pointing at. The moment she saw it, her mind went numb and her roll dropped from her hand. Her sickness was long forgotten, only now shock, sorrow, and shame of vast proportions flooded her body in a cold wave. There was Yuu, pulling Kakashi on a leash like a dog towards the stage. Shock turned to rage and she tried to stand up, but Vighan restrained her.

"Ah, ah, ah," chided Vighan, "don't be interrupting my fun now. Besides, you wouldn't want an accident to befall him, would you?"

Sakura turned her eyes towards Kakashi, tears welling up in pity and remorse. He looked pitiful. He was dirty, skinny, and looked as if he had aged years. His clothes were in tatters and his hair looked almost brown. His mask was removed and Sakura saw that he had, indeed, once been handsome. Now he looked old and worn away like a forgotten memory.

Sakura shook her head. No, this wasn't the man she dreamt about. This wasn't the one she wanted to be with always. It couldn't be. Kakashi was strong and spirited. He wasn't this pathetic excuse for a man!

"It's not him," she whispered. "It's not him!"

"It is him," said Vighan, smiling.

Sakura looked at him in a desperate attempt to try and find some lie within his eyes, but the truth was clear and there was no hiding it. She swallowed heavily and looked back at Kakashi. Yes, it was him, but he had deteriorated so far that it was far from being the true him. Sakura wondered with amazement if she had been that far down. Going through the crazy memories, countless beatings, and the repetitive counting of the rocks, she knew that she had been just like him.

Her anger had to be turned somewhere so she directed at the man who held Kakashi on the leash. Yuu had danced with her, been with her through much, and he was a traitor just like his father and sister. In the end, it was only Mari that had been left uncorrupted. But within her anger, she couldn't help but be filled with sorrow. Yuu had been her friend and no matter what he did he would always share a part of her wonderful memories with her.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Vighan, standing up, "it is my pleasure to bring to you some entertainment. You've worked so hard these past few years, and tonight I want to brighten your spirits with laughter." He gestured towards Kakashi who was slumped over. "Here is the famous Copy Ninja here to do a few tricks for you!"

The crowd cheered and when Kakashi didn't move, Yuu jerked the chain. Kakashi stumbled forward and fell, causing laughter to erupt from the crowd. Sakura cried for him as he staggered back to his feet, tired and worn out.

"Now, Kakashi," said Vighan, grinning, "what are you going to do for us tonight? Perhaps you know how to juggle?" Laughter rumbled through the room.

Kakashi didn't answer so Yuu jerked on his chain again. Kakashi stumbled, but kept his footing.

"I'm going…" He coughed, his throat too parched to speak properly. Sakura gripped onto her goblet. She wanted to rush down to him and let him drink from her cup until it was dry.

"I'm going to do the only thing I can do," said Kakashi again, his voice a little stronger. "I am going to fight."

The crowd laughed and Kakashi didn't move. When Vighan saw that he was serious, he said, "You're too weak to fight, Kakashi. It'll be no fun to watch you swing your limp noodles called arms around." The crowd laughed again, a few of the men pounding on the tables.

Kakashi didn't move, even under all of his shame. "Then," he said above the men, "perhaps some of your men would like to take a few swings at me? I'm sure that would be entertaining enough." And then, almost too sudden for Sakura, his eyes met hers. They widened and he stood there, staring at her as if she was only an illusion. Sakura stared back, but no joy leapt into her heart. His eyes were too full of hurt, too full of sorrow. All she could feel was a desolate pain that wound its way tightly through her stomach when she realized what would befall Kakashi when he let himself be thrown into the pack of mindless dogs that were aching to devour him.

"No!" gasped Sakura. She turned to Vighan who was grinning at the prospect of Kakashi being mercilessly beat up in front of hundreds.

"Don't let him do this!" begged Sakura. "He's been through enough!"

Vighan glared at her and pushed her away. "I make the decisions around here!" he snarled and she shrunk back into her chair at his sudden fury. He composed himself and turned back to the jonin who still stood dazed at Sakura's appearance.

"Kakashi," he said, shaking him from his stupor, "I like this idea. Very well, I shall take you up on your offer!" He gestured to the crowd as a whole, his arms outspread. "Who wants to be first to have a go at Hatake Kakashi?"

Roars and cheers were bellowed throughout the hall followed by whistles and a rather burly man stood up first, cracking his knuckles.

"Let me at 'im first!" he growled, his voice rough with either many years of tobacco, or constant screaming. "I'll snap him in two with me bare hands!"

The crowd cheered and their fists beat on the tables in a fast rhythm, jolting plates and goblets around, silverware clattering to the ground.

"Talken, Talken, Talken!" they chanted, their mantra erupting into cries of excitement as the large man stepped up onto the stage, flexing his muscles, attempting to scare the jonin.

"You ready for a world of pain, little man?" asked the warrior, bearing his teeth in a hiss.

Kakashi stood still and continued to stay still even when the man charged for him. Sakura waited for Kakashi to jump out of the way and turn on the man, but he didn't move. The man's fist connected with his gut and the crowd roared with approval, dousing the cough of pain that elicited from Kakashi's lips. Sakura didn't need to hear it; all she needed was to see it. She began to weep as another blow was dealt, bringing Kakashi to his knees. More and more people came up to the stage, beating at him, kicking and spitting at him until it was too much for Sakura to bear.

Her chair screeched along the floor as she violently pushed herself out of it. She ran from the room, unnoticed by everyone except Vighan who brushed her departure off, deeming it unimportant. She continued to run, tears of shame and humiliation for Kakashi streaming down her face.

_Kakashi, oh Kakashi, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! _

She continued to run blindly, turning down nameless halls and bolting through doorways until she was far from everything. There were no people, no noise. How could she hear anything when the only sound were her heavy sobs?

As she fled, she continued to cry. She spoke to Kakashi, apologizing over and over until she had no more energy to speak. And then, she had no energy to run. So she suddenly stumbled to a halt and sunk to her knees, staring blindly at the wall far from her. She sat there for what seemed the longest time, mind numb to the world, images of Kakashi's pain and humiliation drifting through her mind, cold and unrelenting. Through her darkness, she did not notice that someone had followed her through the maze of halls until they were right next to her.

"Sakura?"

Sakura looked up at the familiar face of Yuu. Sadness was immediately replaced by anger and she lunged out, clawing, biting, spitting her fury.

"I trusted you!" she screamed, knocking Yuu to the ground. "And now look at what you've done! Look at what you did to him!"

Yuu's arms covered his face as he tried to fend her blows. "Please, Sakura let me explain! I swear I'm here to help!"

"Liar!" she screamed, cuffing him on the side of the head. "Phony! You drug him out there like a pig to the slaughter, tugging on him, forcing him to be something he's not! I hate you, and I'll hate you forever!"

"Sakura!" Yuu tried to reason with her, but she would not hear. So, he did what he had to do and kicked her in the stomach. She was knocked into a nearby wall, groaning. Yuu stood up and pinned her down so that the best she could do was spit at him, which she did the moment his face came into view.

"Sakura, listen to me!" said Yuu, gripping her tight. "I swear to all that is good in the world that I am telling the truth! I warned Kakashi that I would be brutal. I could not be found out. If I was, then neither one of you would have a chance!"

Sakura was breathing heavily, fighting against Yuu's grip. "No! I saw you. You hurt him. You lead him out there, defenseless!"

"I had to Sakura! He knew what would happen and he went willingly. I didn't force him to!"

"No, you're a liar and I hate you!" She screamed, arching her back to try and break away. "I hate you, you lying bastard! You ruined him! You changed him into a disgusting, pitiful--"

"_I had too!!_" roared Yuu, shocking Sakura so badly that she stopped moving all together. She stared at him openly, and he looked back at her with a pained expression.

"Do you think I liked watching such a strong man belittled to nothing? Do you think I enjoyed the beating he endured? No, I didn't! In fact, I hated it all. I still hate it!" He was quieter now, realizing that if he continued to yell, he would draw attention. "I'm trying to help you two, Sakura, I really am. However, I can't be discovered. If that happens, it'll be the end of him, you, and myself. Now," he let out a shaky breath, "are you calm?"

Sakura nodded and he let go. She sat up slowly and rubbed her wrists. Looking at the red mark lighting up the left side of his face, she felt her cheeks burn with shame. She looked to the ground, not wanting to see what her ignorant fury had done.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright," said Yuu, standing up, straightening his robes. "You didn't know. Besides, I did the same thing, only the situation was reversed."

Sakura looked up. "What?"

"I didn't believe that my father had actually betrayed me."

"Oh." Sakura was silent for a moment.

"I'm sorry," she said again, sounding a bit like a broken, sympathetic tape recorder.

"It's not your fault." He sighed heavily. "Besides," and he smiled now, a small smirk, "it was him that is giving you the chance to get away."

And from within his clothes he brought forth a giant ring of keys.

Sakura blinked at them, shocked.

"Is that…?" She trailed off, struck dumb.

Yuu looked away from her, mind drifting away in thought.

"I… I found out about you and Kakashi," he started hesitantly, "and when I did, I hated my father. But…" He shook himself out of revere and smiled at her, "he came to me and told me to go and rescue you two. I think… I think he's trying to find forgiveness."

Briefly, she realized all of this was the reason behind Atsushi's peculiar behavior before Sakura bit her lip to stop her from scowling. She didn't think she could ever forgive Atsushi, even if it was him who was helping them escape. He had done too much. But, for Yuu's sake and hers and Kakashi's, she would put away her anger.

"Come on," said Yuu suddenly, "we've got to get going. We need to act tonight if we're going to get anywhere." He began to walk away and Sakura hurried after him.

"Where are we going?"

Yuu looked behind him as he walked. "You want to see Kakashi, don't you?"

Sakura's eyes widened and she nodded rapidly. Her heart began thudding rapidly in her chest.

"Are we going to break him out tonight?"

Yuu nodded.

"Yes. And I'm going to get you out of here." He stopped and looked around at the empty hall. "Everyone is eating right now, so the rooms are left unguarded. Kakashi should be back in his cell right now." He turned the corner and gestured her to follow.

Sakura could feel that they were heading deeper underground, back to the dungeons. Memories sprang up and for a moment, she wanted to turn back around. Stubbornly, she steeled herself. She would not turn, not as long as Kakashi was down there. He needed her just as she needed him. Deeper and deeper she followed past many doors and through different rooms until they were at the very end of a hall with only the barest of light. Yuu pulled out the ring of keys given to him by Atsushi and began to search for the right one. Sakura waited impatiently, wishing that she could see through the solid metal of the door.

Yuu held up an iron key to the light and nodded in approval. Sticking the key into the lock, he turned it, clicking it open. The door swung wide and there was Kakashi, sitting against the far wall. He looked up and met Sakura's eyes. They were still sharp and intelligent, just like Sakura's. He smiled.

"Yo."

An unbelievable relief spread through her body as if she had dropped herself into the waters of life. Even though Kakashi was haggard and injured, it was still him. He hadn't broken. He was still here, alive, and in front of her, smiling. He had never looked more handsome.

Another surge of relief filled her and threatened to overcome. She just barely suppressed her emotions that struggled to let themselves be known. Instead, Sakura stood there and smiled back, small tears forming around her eyes.

"Hey."

Kakashi looked her over, mildly surprised.

"Look at you. I would have never known you spent three months in a cell. I must look horrible. They don't offer good facilities here, so I apologize for the smell."

Sakura shook her head, still grinning. She blinked and the tears spilt over and down her cheeks.

"No, it's alright. I'm just glad you're alive." Her voice broke in the end and she sniffed, wiping her hand across her eyes, but the moment she cleaned up, more tears came until she was sobbing quietly. She dropped to the floor, unable to support herself anymore.

Kakashi stood up and quickly went to her, kneeling and hugging his arms around her. Her own arms shakily drew themselves from out between them and wrapping themselves around his middle tightly. She was crying harder now, burying her face into his chest.

"I'm so glad," she choked out, and then mumbled something else, but it was lost within another sob.

Kakashi held her and settled his face on the top of her head, kissing her.

"It's alright," he whispered to her, strengthening his grip. "It's alright…" And it was alright because she was with him, and he was with her.

More importantly, she away from Vighan and out of his clutches.

Thoughts that had tormented him within his dark cell after Vighan's claim suddenly rose back into his mind. He had come so close to losing Sakura, so very, very close. Kakashi felt his chest tighten and he kissed the top of her head again, harder this time.

Slowly, Sakura began to calm until her sobs were reduced to small hiccups. But still she held onto him tightly, unable to let him go. She wouldn't let him go, not after he had been taken away. So she sat there, arms wrapped around him with her face buried into the crook of his neck. She closed her eyes and felt his pulse against her cheek beating strong. Her arms tightened a little more.

Yuu watched the exchange between the two and for a moment, he felt a pang of jealousy. He accepted it and he accepted the defeat.

_I never had a chance with her in the first place, _he thought sadly. _But I can still be here to help her. _

"I'm sorry," he said, interrupting the touching moment and startling them out of whatever world they had been in, "but we've got to get going." He watched them slowly look at each other and then comically break apart, each obviously embarrassed.

Yuu suppressed the strong desire to laugh. "Ready?" he asked, taking no notice of the incident.

Kakashi nodded, ignoring his awkwardness and stood up. "Yes, let's get started."

Sakura's eyes widened slightly as he watched him walk as if he was taking a stroll through the park. He wasn't pathetic and weak like she had thought. She felt foolish for ever thinking that Kakashi, the infamous Copy Ninja, could ever be weak.

Yuu locked up the door again and handed the keys to Kakashi. "You know what to do, right?"

Kakashi nodded. "Yes, but… What are you and your father going to do? They're going to find out and once they do, they're going to kill you."

Sakura gasped and looked at Yuu who stood quietly.

"I know," he said, "but we don't intend on sticking around here. The moment you leave, we're leaving too. We're free to come and go as we please. They won't know anything in time. Just don't mess up and we'll make it out fine."

"I don't think there's room for error in this one, right Sakura?" Kakashi turned to her and smiled. Sakura stared at him for a moment, absorbing the gravity of the situation, and nodded.

"Right."

"You see," said Kakashi, turning back to Yuu. "We've got everything under control."

Yuu nodded. "Good."

The two men continued to look at each other and for a second, Sakura thought there was something more being exchanged between them. She realized that a strong friendship had been formed, bound together by things she might never know.

Yuu clasped hands with Kakashi. "Take care."

"You too."

Then, he was off, gone down the hall. Kakashi didn't waste anytime and began a fast paced jog towards another section of the dungeon. Sakura followed behind, but was utterly confused.

"What the hell is going on?"

Kakashi turned towards another door and began to head up, only stopping to open doors.

"We're going to bring down this organization from the inside."

"Wha-? How?"

They were back to the main floor. Kakashi hugged the wall, Sakura following suit. Two men passed crossed the hall perpendicular to them, laughing and drinking. Kakashi let out a sigh of relief and headed up the direction they had come from.

"We're going to destroy their hideout by burying it," said Kakashi. "That way, there's no possibility they'll be coming back."

"Bury it?" exclaimed Sakura. "But that means we'll be blowing this place up with us in it!" She was about to say, "And that is really, really stupid," before three more men started heading in their direction.

Sakura managed a small 'eep!' before she was abruptly dragged over to the side. They crouched behind a large plant, silently watching as the three men passed. Kakashi let out another sigh of relief and quickly ran from their hiding place down another hall.

"We aren't blowing ourselves up," said Kakashi, constantly watching out for any other people. "We have a bomb with a timer. We'll have exactly five minutes to get out of here before this place goes under."

"_What?" _Five minutes was _definitely _not enough time. It didn't matter if the bomb was located right next to the exit. Five minutes were still five minutes, wherever it was!

"Have you lost your mind?" asked Sakura, extremely serious in questioning his sanity.

Kakashi grinned at her. "Perhaps. But this is our only chance. Now, are you with me?"

Sakura frowned at him. That was a stupid question and she knew that he knew it. He only asked because he was a stupid, handsome smart aleck. She growled at him and refrained from hitting him.

"Dammit, of course I'm with you!" she grumbled. "How can I not be?"

"Good. Then let's go. We need to get to the supply room. Yuu left us the bomb there."

The two jonin raced down the hallways, sticking to the walls and shadows. If they were caught during this stage, then there was no chance at all for success. Sakura watched Kakashi move and realized that even though he was weaker than normal, he still had an air of strength around him.

"Kakashi, Yuu switched out your water, didn't he?"

Kakashi nodded. "And you?"

"It's been a while since I've had any of the tainted stuff. I think two days, and I've eaten well."

"Then it should be out of your system by now. Good, I thought I was going to have to fight alone!"

Sakura rolled her eyes and continued to follow him. She realized, after a few minutes, that the halls were empty. She guessed that most of them were still at the dining hall. She looked around, trying to find out exactly where they were. Their first attempt at escape had been so quick and brutal, she didn't know where exactly she went. She surmised that they were in a completely different section of the underground fortress.

"This place is huge," she commented as they went down yet another hallway. It looked almost identical to the other numerous corridors they had been down. "And everything looks the same." If it hadn't been for Kakashi, she would have gotten lost ages ago and would most likely be found days later, a withered corpse still trying to find it's way.

"Yes, it is big and confusing," replied Kakashi. "It's built just like a castle from the old days. They made it look indistinguishable so in case there were intruders, they would get lost and lose their way."

Sakura wondered briefly what it would like to get lost in one's own home. It certainly wouldn't be the most brilliant and ego boosting acts in the known age. She could just imagine how difficult a trip to the bathroom would be.

Sakura giggled and Kakashi stopped and looked behind her, bewildered. She returned the look with one of confusion.

"What?"

"Here we are, in the depths of the enemy's fortress, facing _yet again _a most horrible fate, and you are _laughing?_"

Sakura sheepishly shrugged. "Sorry." She coughed and steeled her mind, shoving all thoughts of toilets out of her mind. "I'm sorry," she said more firmly. "Let's go."

After a few more hallways and some close calls, they were at the storage room. Kakashi pulled out the keys and cursed.

"What?"

"Dammit, I forgot to ask him which key it was." He sighed. "Guess I'll have to try them all."

"Well hurry up with it!" said Sakura, wanting to beat his head against the wall for forgetting such an important thing as which key it was. She really did believe he had lost his mind.

"I'll keep watch," she said, not wanting to sit around and wait for somebody to fall upon them. She walked to the end of the hallway to look out while Kakashi went through the giant ring of keys.

Sakura waited patiently for a whole thirty seconds before she was tapping her foot impatiently and tugging at the hem of her shirt in a gesture of anxiety. The longer he took, the bigger the chance that they were going to get caught.

And she refused to go back again.

"What's taking you so long?" hissed Sakura.

Kakashi pulled out the twelfth key and inserted another. "There's nearly fifty keys on this ring, Sakura. It's going to take a while. Please be patient."

_Patient?! I'll be patient when we're out of here!! _Really, sometimes she couldn't understand the words that came out of his mouth. She shook her head dubiously, _yet again_ concerned with his sanity.

"Patience," she whispered harshly, "is something we _do not have_!" Angrily, she looked down the hall again.

"I'm going as fast as I can," said Kakashi after a moment. "So please at least _try _to be patient."

"Well, I can't _do_ that" said Sakura urgently, "because _someone is coming!_"

Kakashi cursed and worked at a faster pace, fingers blurring together as he quickly went through the key ring. Sakura stayed at her post and prepared to fight if necessary. The man was drawing closer and soon he would spot them.

"Hurry!"

There was a click, then success. The door opened and Kakashi gestured Sakura back. But it was too late. The man had seen them and was already chasing after them, calling for others. She bolted down the hallway and into the storeroom, Kakashi slamming the door behind them. He shouldered it as the man pounded against it, demanding to let him in.

"Sakura, find me something to bar the door!"

Sakura looked around and spotted a metal rod. She picked it up and stuck it between the two handles on the door. Kakashi pulled away as the rod rattled in place as the man slammed up against the door.

"We don't have much time," said Kakashi. "Let's hurry."

The bomb was in the far corner of the room, hidden under a shawl. Kakashi picked it up delicately and set it against a large pillar that stood in the middle of the room, positioning it so that whoever entered would have to look around the pillar to see the bomb.

"A support beam," said Sakura, looking up to the ceiling. "It'll bring this whole place down."

"Exactly, but this bomb itself packs quite a punch. Either way, the Rebelle aren't getting out of this one." Kakashi connected the wires and the clock flickered to life. Immediately, a consistent ticking resonated through the room. Kakashi turned to her, his face serious.

"Time to go." He led her to a small trapdoor in the far corner of the room. It was covered by a rug, which was covered in dust. He flung it to the side in a cloud of brown and gray and opened the hatch, revealing a hole of darkness. Sakura looked up at him, worried.

"Are you sure?"

"Do we have another choice?"

As if to explain their situation, the sound of the door splintering echoed through the room.

"Good point."

Sakura crouched low to the ground and carefully dropped through the hole and landed on her feet. Before her appeared to be an infinitely long tunnel of darkness that stretched into nothingness. Which was bad. She looked up at Kakashi who was visible in the small square of light. Sakura heard the door break open before Kakashi jumped in as well, closing the door behind him as he fell. His feet had barely touched the ground before he was off, Sakura following behind. Behind them they heard the hatched door open again and the pounding of feet as they echoed loudly down the long hallway. The two ran, not bothering to look back.

"Four minutes," panted Kakashi as he continued to run. Sakura nodded and her feet moved faster. She wasn't about to be buried to death just because she couldn't run.

The noises behind them began to soften until they were just a dim murmur. Sakura panted, looking ahead of her into the long dark hallway.

"How much further is it?" she asked quickly, not wanting to waste much breath in talking. She hoped that she hadn't been right about the tunnel being "infinite." Already her chest was giving her problems.

"Don't know," was Kakashi short reply.

They continued to run. Another minute passed and Sakura grew increasingly worried. The tunnel seemed to go on forever, never leading towards an exit. Doubts floated in her mind. What if Yuu had tricked them and led them to their doom? What if they were just too slow and couldn't make it? All of the doubts floated in her head until she saw light at the very end and she realized with small surprise that the air around them was getting increasingly cold.

"Two minutes," said Kakashi, heaving a sigh, "and not a moment too soon."

They walked out to what appeared to be the far outskirts of Unon, on the border of the forest. But what surprised her most was the thin blanket of snow covering the ground. Winter had come during their imprisonment. Sakura didn't get much time to survey anything else. Behind them they heard the voices of men and women coming closer. If they weren't far away enough, they'd still be killed but by swords and daggers instead.

Kakashi jumped up to the trees, Sakura following. They got as far away as possible, not wanting to be injured by anyone or anything. Sakura's heart was beating fast with fear and adrenaline. Time was running out and if they weren't out of the way, they'd be blown to pieces. The thought sent a cold chill through her body. She raced through the trees, picking up speed, fueled on by fear.

"One minute," said Kakashi. "But I'm not a terrific counter. I suggest we hurry."

Sakura refrained from pinching her brow. "Even in the face of death you are unbelievable."

They moved higher into the branches until they were above the treetops. Sakura looked far into the distance, spotting the small hill that they had come out of. Briefly she thought of Yuu and Atsushi and she feverishly hoped that they got out. If they didn't, if Yuu didn't, then Sakura would have to live with a heavy heart.

Then she thought of Vighan, and during that thought, she felt a sharp bitterness. It was not only because she hated him and all he did to her and Kakashi, but because she wouldn't personally be able to extract her revenge. It was unfortunate, but at least he would be dead, blown up and evaporated, perhaps crushed as all that he worked for in his life tumbled down above his head in one measly second.

She smiled. She could live with that.

Sakura could see a small stream of people just leaving the entrance, each looking around for them. They seemed to sense their direction and began to head their way. She didn't worry. They were going to be dead soon.

Kakashi breathed. "Zero."

A few second's pause – Kakashi was indeed not the greatest counter – and there was a deep rumble and the hill seemed to expand. A few of the Rebelle turned around, amazed at how the ground began to puff up like the cap of a mushroom. Then, there was an earsplitting roar as the ground tore asunder and stone, snow, and dirt exploded in the air. The land behind the hill sagged, lurched, and Sakura watched with amazement as it began to sink, breaking trees and ripping ground as the underground fortress caved in with a horrendous roar.

Then the ground beyond the entrance cracked and split long and wide, stretching and growing like lightning. As the crack grew, the ground sagged and fell into the earth, dragging down trees and giant boulders as more and more ground disappeared. Off in the distance, there was a resounding crash, and a few of the outer buildings of Unon began to collapse, dropping through the fault as if their foundations had suddenly turned into quicksand.

The trees that they were on blew slightly from the small wind that the explosion caused, a safe distance away. As the large dust cloud settled and the crashing and breaking slowed to small rumbles, the two shinobi looked amazed at the valley that had suddenly formed before them. It was as if God had taken his hand and scooped up the dirt from the valley, forming a large trench. The outer edge of the forest was demolished and the northwestern district of Unon was missing a few buildings, the only remains a few stones and broken doors. The Rebelle were nowhere to be seen.

For a moment, there was silence, then one by one, people from Unon began to race towards the destruction. They were small ants in the distance, but she could tell that there was going to be chaos and confusion that day.

There was a whistling sound. It wasn't a bird and it wasn't wind, but it was familiar. Only when the kunai embedded itself in her leg did she know what it was.

Her leg went slack and she lost her balance, dropping from her high place on the tree. Luckily Kakashi was there to catch her, but they weren't out of danger yet. Sakura pulled out the kunai from her calf and sent it sailing back in the direction it came. She heard with satisfaction a yelp of pain before she raced off, following Kakashi as best as she could with her injury. It wasn't unbearable and didn't even come close to other pain she had experienced, but it still hindered her.

"Do we fight them?" asked Sakura, the branches just barely touching her body as they passed.

"No," said Kakashi. "There's no point, especially now with your wound. Just keep running. We'll lose them eventually."

They continued to run, never stopping to rest. They ran for what seemed like hours, but still they did not stop. The pain in her leg continued to grow until it was throbbing with immeasurable proportions. A cold sweat began to form on her brow and she felt dizzy, but she continued on.

Her chest was bothering her again. It was hard taking in breaths. It was as if she was trying to breathe in shards of glass. It hurt immensely and for a brief moment of fear, Sakura wondered if she had been permanently damaged by the kunai that had been stabbed into her chest. Unconsciously her hand moved to the old wound and clenched there. She could still feel it's sharp metal within her.

_Focus, Sakura, _she scolded herself and she let her hand drop from her side. It wasn't the time to think about such things. It was time to get further away. But it was so hard and her leg hurt and breathing was painful. How much further could so go?

She would have fainted long ago if it wasn't for the cold. It bit her skin sharply and kept her awake. Looking around her, focusing on the chill of the air, she began to shiver. That was the beginning of her collapse. She managed to go for a few more minutes before her leg finally gave out and she stumbled and toppled to the ground from the trees. She landed harshly, knocking the wind out of her, opening up old wounds and causing her to breathe harshly. She coughed into her hand and looked down. Blood speckled her palm and Sakura only had enough time to register what it was before she quickly wiped it away on the ground before Kakashi could see.

Kakashi heard her fall and was immediately by her side, hovering over her as she struggled to push herself up off the ground.

"Sakura," he asked, scanning her feverishly, "are you alright?"

"Yes, yes." She waved away his concern impatiently, moving to stand up, but the pressure on her leg was too much and with a cry she fell back down to the ground. Kakashi caught her before she hit and he held her close. He rubbed his hands against her freezing arms, warming her up.

"Sakura, you're freezing! No wonder, you aren't exactly dressed for this weather."

Sakura, now that she had stopped moving, was shivering uncontrollably. She nodded, her teeth chattering too badly to form a reply. Her breath came out in broken plumes of white, rising into the air and disappearing completely.

"D-do you th-think we c-could stop…" she halted and buried her face into Kakashi's chest, trying to absorb whatever body heat he had. She was a strong girl, but there wasn't much she could do against the cold except escape it or be defeated by it. She wondered why Kakashi wasn't shivering and found it highly unfair that he still had on his jonin uniform, although he no longer had his vest.

Kakashi nodded, holding her close. "Yes, we can stop for a moment. I need to bandage up that leg of yours anyway." A sudden idea hit him and he began to pull his shirt off.

Sakura stared at the shirt before her suddenly begin to rise up, unable to mentally comprehend what Kakashi was doing. She decided to ask.

"What are you doing?"

Kakashi pulled off his shirt, revealing a grubby white tee underneath.

"I'm giving you my shirt to keep warm." He offered the shirt towards her, an eyebrow raised. "Well?"

Sakura looked at the shirt as if it was some precious diamond and she took it hesitantly.

"T-thanks," she whispered, hugging the shirt close. It was warm from Kakashi. "B-but what about you?"

"Oh, I'll be fine," he smiled. "I'm more used to the cold than you, I think. I've been in much worse situations." He sat and waited and after a minute of silence, he laughed. "Well, are you going to put it on or not?"

Sakura started and blushed. She fumbled with the clothing, pulling it over her head quickly. She had to bite her tongue to keep from choking. It smelled really bad, but she decided that it was better than freezing to death. In the morning, she'd be sure to give it back to him. Once dressed, she put herself back into Kakashi's arms, keeping to her most basic thoughts; to keep warm.

"Better?" he asked.

"Yes." Sakura had to keep from sighing. His voice reverberated though his chest and throughout her body. It made her feel weak, but exhilarated at the same time. She waited for him to speak again, knowing that she was certainly acting like a little school girl with a crush.

_Be that as it may, I will do whatever I please. I deserve it, I think._

Kakashi waited for Sakura to move, but it seemed that she wasn't going anywhere. He looked down at her, but she was still burrowed deep into his arms. He cleared his throat and she looked up briefly.

"I need to pull away for a moment. You going to be alright?"

She nodded and forced herself to let go of him. The moment he left her, she regretted her decision bitterly. The cold came back full force and she wrapped her arms around her tightly, trying to keep whatever warmth from escaping. She watched, teeth still chattering, as Kakashi scooped up snow off the ground into his hands. Coming back over to her, he stretched out her leg and, bending over her wound, cupped his hands and blew warm air into them. Slowly, the snow began to melt and drip over the gash, washing away whatever dirt was around it. Eventually, he slowly dropped the rest of the mostly melted snow onto her leg, rubbing it in gently. Sakura hissed, but kept still. He finished by wrapping a strip of cloth around her calf, ripped from the edge of his shirt.

"There," he said, rocking back onto his heels, "that should do it until we can find somewhere to fix you up properly, unless _you _would like to heal it?"

Sakura shook her head rapidly, flexing her leg experimentally.

"No," she said quickly, "I don't think I have the energy to do it if we're going to keep running." She looked up at him. "We're going to keep running, aren't we?"

Kakashi nodded almost regretfully and Sakura couldn't help but sigh. She stood up slowly, her leg able to support her now that it was washed and wrapped, but still the cold exhaustion that ran through every fiber of her being refused to go away. She couldn't help but groan in frustration.

"Don't worry," said Kakashi, "we aren't going anywhere for a while."

"Good." Sakura plopped back down onto the ground, rubbing her arms. "Then do you think we can make a fire?"

"No," was Kakashi's prompt reply. "We can't risk it."

Sakura pouted and wondered if she should argue about the dangers of the cold and dying, but decided against it. A fire was risky and caution had to be exercised less they wind up back into enemy clutches. Still, she was _very _cold and she knew that if they didn't get some source of warmth, they would surely freeze.

An idea popped into her head and blood rushed to her face. Keeping her expression indifferent, she turned to Kakashi who still stood.

"You know," she began slowly, "we'll freeze in this weather. Maybe… Do you think we could sleep together?"

Kakashi started violently at Sakura's coy suggestion and looked down at her, flabbergasted. He swallowed hard, trying to find his voice which had so suddenly disappeared into his stomach.

"E-excuse me?"

Sakura blinked at him and flushed a deep crimson at his insinuation.

"No!" she cried out, "No, not… Not _that, _just sleeping. You know… sleep." She stumbled, confused at the weird sensations and thoughts that were going through her body and mind. "Just sleep."

Kakashi stared at her for a moment more and slowly shook himself free from his shock. Slowly, he nodded.

"Yes," he said, "I think we could do that." He grew more serious now, completely brushing aside their brief awkwardness. "You're right, we will freeze. It'd be a shame to die as a Popsicle after all we've gone through."

Sakura nodded in agreement. Quickly, as to not waste any time, they found a place to rest. They chose the roots of a giant tree nearby. They raised high above the ground, curling and growing in such a way that it created a natural nest. Kakashi pointed and told her to face the trunk of the tree. She did so, tucking her knees close to her body, resting her head on the back of her hand. She shivered, not caused by the cold, when Kakashi stepped behind her and slowly lowered himself to the ground. He seemed to falter for a second, as if tousling with an inner turmoil, before he finally wrapped his arms around Sakura's stomach and pulled himself close against her back.

Sakura's eyes bolted wide open, her body surging with warmth before it concentrated in her stomach and wound its way down. Kakashi was pressed against her in a very intimate way, spooning her for lack of a better word. She swallowed harshly, trying to find her breath. Never before had she been in such a position before- however platonic it was- and now that she was, with Kakashi no less, it nearly overwhelmed her.

She shifted, growing uncomfortable and behind her she felt Kakashi go very still. She stopped, curious about his peculiar behavior. After a few minutes, his normal breathing returned, so she decided to shift again. This time, he gripped her arm tightly, his fingers digging into her skin harshly.

"Stay still, you're letting out all the heat." If Sakura didn't know any better, she would have thought his voice to be weaker than usual.

Sakura mumbled an apology and she stopped moving. But now for some unknown reason, she couldn't fall asleep. Perhaps it was her chest rattling with pain, the tree root digging incessantly into her side, or maybe it was Kakashi behind her, holding her close as they struggled to keep warm. A few more minutes and she didn't care if her lungs exploded or where the hell Kakashi was because the tree root was _really_ beginning to hurt. She bit her lip, trying to be quiet and she moved as slowly as she could, backing herself off the offending object and into Kakashi.

He went still again and Sakura blurted out another apology. "This root really hurts," she explained, scooting as close to Kakashi as possible to stay away from the protruding root. Now relaxed against Kakashi, she curled up against him and snuggled in close for good measure.

"Okay, now I'm-"

Kakashi, in a flash, rolled away from Sakura and onto his stomach. The pocket of warmth they had been building disappeared and Sakura cried out with loss. She quickly turned to him, confused.

"What's wrong? Why'd you move?"

"I am not comfortable in that position," he said after a moment's pause, looking back up at Sakura. "All your moving around just made it worse. Just lay close to me. We will be fine."

Sakura did her best to not look crestfallen. _She _had been more than comfortable. He was just a big baby. _A big baby who is acting really weird. _She wondered what could have caused him to do what he did, and when a thought came to the forefront of her mind, she flushed and quickly brushed it aside, deeming it silly.

_Highly unlikely. _She looked down at Kakashi who waited patiently for her to come out of whatever world she was in. _Oh well, it was a nice thought. S_he huddled close to him, pressing her body close into his side.

"Okay," she mumbled into his shirt, "it's fine."

Sakura, even for her previous energy, fell asleep just as soon as she pulled Kakashi's shirt around her snuggly. Sleep, however, did not come to Kakashi that easily. His thoughts were in turmoil and if anyone watched him, they could visibly see him fight whatever mental battles raged. So instead he just lay there on the ground, lost in thought.

--

A/N: I hope this makes up for my last cliffhanger. I apologize for ending it so horribly like that.

Ok, I am going to be busy for the next couple of weeks, so I will not be able to post as much as I have been. As it is, chapter sixteen is only ten percent done. I will try to get it out as soon as I can, but I cannot make any promises.

Thanks again you guys for reading. You're the greatest!


	16. Make Your Decision

A/N: I am so, so sorry for the long wait, truly I am. I was having so many difficulties with this chapter, it was driving me insane. Luckily, with help from my beta, I got this chapter out FINALLY. But to those who have stayed and waited this long, your efforts have finally been rewarded!

Enjoy!

--

After their brief rest of only an hour, they continued their hasty pace. Sakura, even though she had slept, could feel her body reaching its limits. The cold of winter did nothing to help her, and her tank top was practically useless. Her arms were numb as were her feet and legs, but she continued on. If Kakashi could do it, then so could she.

The sky above was turning darker and the air grew even colder. Snow began to fall, making their escape all the more dangerous. She carefully watched where she landed, not taking any chances. She had, during a moment of stupidity, slipped and fallen. Now, along with her leg wound, she sported a rather dashing scrape on her knee.

They stopped again for another brief respite before they continued on. Weary and cold, Sakura stumbled more than once and accumulated more small cuts and bruises, adding themselves to her plethora of body wounds.

Angrily, after yet another accident, she glared at the back of Kakashi's head as he waited for her to pick herself up. He hadn't stumbled one, let alone hurt himself. She found it to be entirely unfair.

Then finally Sakura saw Kakashi slip and fall, but there was no feeling of triumph. Only thoughts of dread filled her mind. Kakashi was a very strong nin. If he fell…

She jumped down to him, worried. He was kneeling on the ground, panting heavily.

"Kakashi, we can't keep running. We need to stop, and for longer than an hour. Besides, we lost them long ago."

Kakashi nodded and straightened himself, but it took effort.

"You're right," he said weakly, putting his face into his hands. "We need to find somewhere to rest. But not here. Let's find something with a little more shelter from this snow."

They went a little further into the trees and looked for a place to camp. Sakura looked around and saw that the area looked very… familiar. She glanced at Kakashi who was breathing heavily. A small pang of worry hit her heart.

"Kakashi," she said, "I think… I think we've been here before."

Kakashi stopped moving and looked around. He was silent for a moment before a relieved smile broke his lips.

"Yes, we've been here before."

Kakashi started walking faster now, with Sakura following behind. Ahead of them, the trees broke and finally, and almost a day after their escape, they finally arrived at the river. Down near the bank, Sakura could see the large tree that had almost taken her life still there, although it lacked its leaves. She swallowed hard at the sight and instead turned to look up the river. In the distance, she saw the dark homes of River's Bend. Smoke rose from a few rooftops in gray plumes, blending in with the evening winter sky. Sakura could imagine the warm fires that were housed within.

Kakashi was looking at River's Bend as well, almost dazed. Sakura wondered if he was thinking along the same lines as she. She cleared her throat to get his attention.

"We're going to cross at the bridge, right?"

Kakashi blinked and stared at Sakura for a long moment.

"Well, of course," he said simply. He looked back at the town, just standing there and staring before he let out a small sigh of relief. "Finally," he whispered and gestured Sakura to follow.

The two began walking as fast as their tired, worn, cold bodies could go. The bridge wasn't too far away and the moment their feet hit the wood, the prospect of a warm bed was all the easier to imagine. It was a wonderful thought, one that hadn't crossed their minds in a very long time.

They walked in relative silence. There was their repetitive _thunk _of their feet hitting the bridge and the occasional sound of nature. Besides that, there was no other noise. The world seemed relatively quiet, almost as if it was asleep. They were the only things that dared to move. They stood out clearly in the silence and it was almost disturbing for the duo.

Sakura felt as if she should say something. They were on a bridge that was filled with many memories, crossing over into River's Bend where they would eat and sleep properly after three months, and perhaps they might even be able to treat their wounds. She was entitled to at least acknowledge _something_. The problem was she didn't know what to say. "Hey, we nearly died here!" didn't seem like the best conversation starter.

"Um," she began dumbly.

"I was wondering when you were going to say something," said Kakashi with a chuckle. "I took you a little longer than expected, but it's better late than never."

Sakura blushed and scrunched her nose at him. "Well," she huffed, "you could have started the conversation just as easily as me!"

"True," he said, "but I would like it much better if I could listen to you."

Sakura blushed even darker and quickly turned her face away to look at the river. Most of the river was frozen over, but there were still parts where the water ran free. She remembered briefly being within that water, her life slipping from her body. She shivered, but continued to look. Even though it had nearly killed her, there was nothing it could do now. It was slumbering within the depths of winter. During its slumber, Sakura noted the river actually looked peaceful.

"So much has happened here," she said softly. "Things that I will never forget."

Kakashi was silent for a moment.

"Yes," he said finally, "a lot of unforgettable things did happen." But the drowning was only part of it. He also recalled the small talk he had with Sakura.

"_Am I more than your teacher?"_

At the time, he had wanted to know if she was his friend, not just her sensei. Now though, that question held a whole other meaning. He wanted to know if their friendship- which he knew was there indefinitely- was more than that. He wanted to know if perhaps somehow, there was something else there between them.

His throat clenched up at the thought of asking her and he had to clear it so he could breathe properly again.

_Well, _he thought glumly, _this is going to be difficult._

"Kakashi, are you alright?"

"Yes," he said weaker that he would have liked, "I'm fine. I'm just tired is all."

Sakura looked at him, unconvinced that there was just more than exhaustion, but shrugged it off and continued walking, lost in her thoughts. It had been a while since they had been in River's Bend. She wondered if they would be remembered. She hoped dearly that they would.

Her foot suddenly hitting dirt woke her out of her thoughts. She stopped and looked around. They had made it across the bridge, River's Bend only a few hundred yards away.

Hot food, clean bandages, soft clothes, a warm bed… Sakura blinked away tears at the sudden thought and then smiled, overcome with happiness. She squealed with glee and practically jumped into Kakashi's arms.

"We made it!" she exclaimed, cheeks flushed, eyes filled with tears of joy.

Kakashi looked down at her peculiarly before he also smiled and gently returned the hug.

"Yes," he said softly, "we made it."

Sakura nodded, but that was as far as replies were going to go. She had, suddenly and inexplicably, lost all motor and thought skills and was only aware of feeling. Kakashi's body warmed her frozen skin, and it wasn't just because of body heat. She stared up at him, unblinking, unable to take her eyes away. Her breath hitched when Kakashi's arms tightened slightly around her, bringing her closer.

She had been close to Kakashi before when they had danced, and when they had rested in the woods, but this… This was something entirely different. There seemed to be an underlying feeling within this particular embrace and it made her feel weak. She nearly collapsed when his breath brushed up against the top of her head. She swallowed heavily, trying to breathe when an almost suffocating longing began winding within her chest. She mumbled on instinct.

"Ah…"

The moment it came out, she wanted to smack herself.

The spell was broken and he was far from her, looking away and walking down towards River's Bend.

"Come on," he said without turning back, "let's get going."

Sakura stood there in the cold, body shivering from the chill in the air and the feeling of Kakashi against her that had been taken away. And then suddenly, an almost hungry feeling overcame her, a feeling that was reaching out and trying to bring Kakashi back, but it retreated as soon as it came.

_That, _she thought angrily, _ended far too soon. _But she stomped after him, trying to ignore the feeling of loss that lurched inside her stomach.

--

If there was any doubt in her mind that the people of River's Bend had forgotten them, it was quickly wiped away. The moment they stepped through the front gates, the people turned to them and began rushing towards them with smiles on their faces.

"Komegawa Sakura! Komegawa Kakashi! How good it is to see you again- Oh my, what _happened_ to you two?"

Sakura returned their smiles and exchanged greetings with those who came up to her and calmly brushed away their concerned questions. She glanced over to the side to look at Kakashi who was also smiling and talking, but she could see that he was very tired. Not only that, she knew Kakashi was hurting more than he let on. He was hiding all the wounds that she knew were there. He needed rest, much more than her.

She politely ended the conversation with the woman she was speaking to and turned to another.

"Sir," asked Sakura, "is there a room available at the inn? We're very tired." Suddenly, she remembered that they had no money and she flushed pink with embarrassment. "Oh, that's right," she mumbled. "We're pretty much broke."

The man scoffed and pushed her forward, much to her surprise.

"Money is of no concern when it comes to you, definitely not! You have done so much for this village, so, so much, and we must repay it. We must, must, must! Come, come, right this way! Oh what a great day this is to finally see you again. Very great. Greatest day in my life."

The man was speaking very fast and Sakura had _no _idea what he was saying, so she just smiled and nodded.

As he continued to talk, he ushered Kakashi and Sakura forward, parting the crowds and leading them to the inn. The building hadn't changed. It looked exactly like it did all those months ago. The wood was still rough with weathering, the chimney was still strong, and it still had a welcoming feel to it. It made Sakura swell with happiness.

"How is Ume?" she said, wondering if the older woman was doing well.

The man stopped and looked sadly to the ground. "Ume-san… She… She passed away a few days after you left."

"Oh." Sakura looked back at the inn that had suddenly lost its homeliness and an indescribable sadness began filling her heart. They hadn't always been on the best of terms, but there was something… motherly about the woman. Her death was a sad loss. She looked over to Kakashi to gauge his reaction. He seemed troubled as well, his eyes staring at the inn before him as if he were in a trance.

"Kakashi?"

He looked up and gave a small smile.

"Come on. Let's get inside."

Sakura nodded, still worried for him, but followed the two men into the inn. Once inside, delicious warmth spread through her body, brining her limbs and body back from the cold. She nearly cried with relief.

A young woman was at the counter where Ume had once been. She looked up and her eyes widened slightly at the sight of Sakura and Kakashi. Quickly she bowed.

"O-oh my! Sakura-sensei! Is that really you?"

_Sensei? _was Sakura's first thought and even Kakashi seemed a bit startled. She looked more closely at the woman, at her blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and she suddenly remembered who she was.

"June?"

The girl nodded rapidly. "You remember me!" she exclaimed happily. "I'm so glad! Thanks to you, I'm now studying to be a doctor. So… Thank you!"

"You're welcome," said Sakura awkwardly, having never been in this kind of situation before, "but I didn't do much. You did most of the work on your own."

She remembered how June had helped her when she had been treating the wounds of those who had been injured in the flood. She had been her hardest worker and always tried to do it with a smile. An excellent healer, Sakura had known that was where her future lied.

June blushed slightly before shaking herself visibly.

"Oh! I'm sorry! You're here for a room, aren't you?"

She reached under the counter and pulled out the large book.

As she flipped to the most recent page, she looked up at Kakashi worriedly.

"You look really tired. Both of you," she added. "Are you okay, because you certainly don't look it."

Kakashi gave her a weak smile.

"I've been better, but after a decent night's sleep I should be in good health."

"Yes, but not before I wash up those wounds of yours, including you Sakura-sensei." June wrote in Sakura's and Kakashi's names. "There," she said, closing the book with a snap, "you guys are signed in. I gave you the same room as last time."

She reached back under the counter and pulled out a set of keys.

"Here," she said, handing them over to Sakura, "these will get you in. I will be up soon to fix you both up. Have a pleasant stay!"

"Thank you," said Sakura, nodding her head before turning to Kakashi.

"Well?"

Kakashi didn't say another word and hurriedly went up the stairs. Sakura looked back at June and the man who had led them there and bowed before following Kakashi. Upon reaching the top floor, she looked down the hallway to see Kakashi already standing in front of the door, looking at Sakura with slight impatience. Sakura suppressed a smile, knowing that he wouldn't find it very amusing. She quickly went to the door and opened it, not wanting to keep him waiting any longer.

Kakashi slowly dragged himself into the room and looked around at it silently. His feet shuffled quietly against the ground as he crossed the room. When his knees hit the bed, he let out a long sigh and fell face first into the mattress.

"Finally," he murmured into mattress, "a bed. A real bed."

Sakura was startled by his abnormal behavior, but she liked it. She joined him on the bed, plopping down beside him on her back, arms sprawled outward.

"If this isn't heaven," she said, "I don't know what is."

"Agreed."

Sakura shifted and rolled to her side to get a better look at Kakashi. He was still on his stomach, but he had moved his head into his arms. In the silence, watching him relax, she began to realize just how tired he must have been. But…

"You smell," she said suddenly. And he did. Really bad.

Kakashi shifted his head to look at her. He raised an eyebrow. "Well, it's been a very long time since I've had a shower. I expect I smell like a dog's butt."

"No," said Sakura, shaking her head, "you smell like a dead dog's butt that has been left out in the sun."

Kakashi contemplated this for a moment before nodding.

"Yes, that sounds more like it."

Sakura pulled at his shirt with her fingers.

"And your clothes are filthy," she added.

"Yes, they are."

"And your hair is nearly brown."

"Most likely."

She thought for a moment more, and then said, "And you smell really, really, _really_ bad."

Kakashi was sitting up fully now and scowling at her.

"Yes, I know that," he said tersely. "Anything else you would like to add?"

Sakura blinked at him, and said simply, "You should go take a bath."

Kakashi refrained from groaning. "Sakura," he said, "after three months of torture, sickness, and exhaustion, I have finally found a proper bed. Now that I am here, I have no intention of getting up no matter how foul I smell."

For a moment, Sakura almost gave in and allowed him to share the bed despite his horrible odor, but one quick whiff changed her mind.

"You're going to make me gag," she grumbled, putting her hand over her mouth and nose. "Please, I know you're tired, but go take a bath. Come on, a bath will relax you and your achy body, too. It can't possibly be any better than a bed, can it?"

"A good argument," said Kakashi as he rolled over to his side, "but not good enough. This bed is just far too comfortable." He gave her a sidelong glance. "I'll take one in the morning."

There was no way Sakura was losing this battle. There were some things that she could tolerate. Others, she couldn't. This was once instance where she put her foot down firmly, fully determined to never move it. But it was the similar sour smell that disturbed her the most. It was the smell of infection, and she knew a hot bath would be the best thing for him and his wounds.

"_No," _said Sakura slowly, "you are taking one _tonight _because one, your injuries need to be cleaned and I highly doubt June would like to wash all the things you have accumulated. Two, I absolutely refuse to sleep in the same bed with a man who smells like a dead dog's butt-"

"-That's been left out in the sun."

"Yes, that's been left out in the sun." And without anything further, she stretched out her foot and unceremoniously kicked him in the thigh, causing him to roll over and off the bed.

"Ow," said his muffled voice from down on the floor. His head finally came into view and he glared at her. "That was entirely uncalled for."

Sakura arched an eyebrow towards him.

"Do you think you would have actually gotten up on your own?"

Kakashi was silent for a moment.

"No," he said eventually, "I probably wouldn't have." He grunted and stood up. "Alright, you win. I suppose I shouldn't have argued with such a hard-headed medic nin such as yourself. It's a battle I'm bound to lose."

"Of course. What else did you expect?"

"Give me the key," he said, holding out his hand. "I'll go wash."

Sakura sat up slowly and swung her feet over the side of the bed.

"I'm coming with you," she said, stretching her muscles. "I want to relax."

Kakashi shrugged and left, Sakura following behind. They met June at the stairs and after a moment of confusion and dropped bandages, Kakashi was able to tell her that he and Sakura were going to the bathhouse and that June would have to wait until they got back.

After taking a set of robes and soap that had been forcibly given to them by June (the girl could be brutal when she felt like it), they made the small trek down to the bathhouse. They opened the door and immediately steam wafted out and blew in their faces. Sakura inhaled deeply, loving how the heat cleared out her chest, soothing it. She stepped in before Kakashi and was already stripping as she made her way to the woman's side.

Flinging her clothes aside, she sunk into the water slowly, relaxing. She listened as she heard Kakashi enter the bath and smiled when he let out a relieved sigh.

"Better?" she asked.

"Much," breathed Kakashi. He was silent for a moment before he said, "It's been a very long time. I never knew how much I loved something as trivial as a bath until it was taken away from me. There were many things I didn't know how much I loved until they were gone. If there was anything good about our imprisonment, it would be that I gained knowledge about myself I didn't know existed."

Sakura nodded, but realized that he couldn't hear her nod, so she let out a small sound of agreement. Sinking back into her thoughts, she tried to find out her own enlightenment, if there was any. All she could think of were the dark nights and the pain, and the thought of death. There hadn't been any time to think of what she loved. But now, when she was far away from all of that, perhaps she could think of what she truly desired and cared about.

Looking at the water around her, she decided baths and hygiene all together where high on her list of things that were important to her. Eating was also a good thing she realized when her stomach growled. But besides those, what else was there?

A certain blonde haired boy came into her mind and her heart clenched. Yes, she loved and missed Naruto. She missed him very, very much. He was very close to her, a brother she never had. And with his image came many others: Her mom, Tsunade-sensei, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, even Hinata. They were her friends, her family, and without them she wouldn't be complete.

Now, though, there was another face and it happened to be sitting a few yards away from her, naked in a bath. What was she going to do with him? He had made a very large impression in her life as her sensei. Now he made it even bigger, turning into this… this _thing_ she almost wished never happened.

_Why did it happen? _thought Sakura. She tried to recall the first time she had felt anything towards him, but it all seemed so blurred together, she had no idea. But she knew that the moment she had accepted him as her friend and not her sensei, that had opened up the gates of possibility. And here she was, sitting in a bath, trying to figure out why she had these feelings for her former sensei.

_My sensei! _cried Sakura's mind. Out of everybody in the world, it had to be her former sensei. That was bad, and she knew it. She wasn't ignorant to what some of the other students would do for their teachers so that they could get a good grade. If she, and by some freak occurrence in nature, and he got together, what would happen to her image? What would happen to _his?_

Sakura's eyes widened and suddenly she felt very sick. She could never tell him. Never. Even if he felt the same way, which was less likely to happen than Naruto giving up ramen, she would never tell him. It would ruin him and his name, a name he had to fight very hard to obtain. She wouldn't let herself become his downfall.

But… Denying her feelings… It was a horrible pain. She cursed herself for letting herself become closer to him. Now she was going to have to find someway to get rid of those stupid feelings, which she knew was going to be difficult. And a small part of her didn't want to give them up.

Sakura shook herself, forcing her thoughts away. She needed to focus on more important matters, like what were they going to do now that they were in River's Bend. She called Kakashi's name, but she didn't get a reply. She tried louder.

"Kakashi!"

"Eh- uh, what?"

"What are we going to do now?"

Kakashi was silent for a moment.

"Hmm…" he said. Sakura could picture him leaning up against the bath's wall, hand to his chin in thought. "Normally in these circumstances, we would send a letter to the Hokage to let them know of what has happened. However, I think it would be best if we just explained it to her in person. To do it all in a letter is… Well, frankly, I'd rather not. I believe we'll stay here for a while and rest and recover." He sighed tiredly. "I know a few days of sleeping in wouldn't do me any harm."

A pause, then, "It is a good thing June is here to dress these wounds for us. Speaking of wounds, how is your chest?"

Sakura's breath hitched and she feverishly wished he hadn't asked that. She didn't dare admit it, but she seriously thought there had been permanent damage done. It was much harder to breathe now, as if there was a lump in her lung, and when she ran, it was hard to take in air. She knew it was a wound that could put her in early retirement.

"It's fine," she lied, already feeling guilty, but she knew she couldn't tell him.

_Yet another thing I have to keep secret from him, _she thought glumly and she splashed at the water half-heartedly.

Kakashi sighed with relief. "Good," he said. "I was worried if you were still hurt or not. That was a serious injury."

"Uh huh," said Sakura miserably. She put her head in her hands and attempted to die so that perhaps she didn't have to feel so crummy. She ended up not being able to spontaneously expire, so she just sat in the bath, sulking.

They washed and then the two sat there in silence for the longest time, each lost in their own thoughts. It was Sakura who first got out, quickly remembering what would happen if they stayed too long, and tied her robe around her tightly.

"Kakashi," she said as she picked up her clothes, "it's time to go."

She got no reply so she hesitantly took a few steps towards the men's side. "Kakashi?"

There was no reply, just silence. Suddenly, an image of Kakashi floating in the water face down filled her mind like a bucket of ice cold water. Alarm flared in Sakura and she dropped her clothes and rushed over to the other bath, trying to find Kakashi within the mist. Then, she spotted him on the far side of the bath. He blinked at her curiously.

The first thing she realized was that he did not drown and die, which was a good thing. The second thing she realized was that Kakashi was _severely _lacking in clothing.

Somewhere within her mind, a voice said, _"He has a really nice butt!" _before sheer mortification took over and all the blood that ran in her body rushed into her face.

"Ah-" she chocked.

Kakashi stood there awkwardly with his robe in hand, thankfully covering up his front. He look from his left to right, and cleared his throat to try and speak. His voice failed him, so he stood there, utterly trapped in the moment.

Sakura forced her mind into overdrive and instinctively her hands flew up over her eyes.

"I'm sorry!" she blurted out quickly before spinning around and rushing blindly forward into the woman's bath.

She stopped after what she deemed was a far enough distance before she slowly dropped her hands from her eyes. She saw that there was no naked Kakashi in front of her, so she sighed in relief and leaned up against the nearby wall.

_That… was _so_ embarrassing…_

Banging her head on the wall was a very tempting thought, but her head already hurt with all the blood pounding in her brain. Trying to ignore her humiliation, she grew snappy and lashed out at Kakashi.

"Why didn't you say anything when I called you?" bit out Sakura, suddenly angry.

"I didn't hear you," was Kakashi's delayed reply and Sakura snorted.

"Really, I didn't," he said. "I was busy thinking." She heard, with another flare of anger, laughter in Kakashi's voice.

"It's not funny!"

"But it is!" replied Kakashi with a laugh and whatever reserve he had was broken and he began to chuckle.

"Well, you must have been thinking pretty hard to not hear me call your name twice," said Sakura, ignoring Kakashi's laughter all together. She pinched her brow, cheeks still a vibrant red. "I saw things I never thought I would ever lay eyes on."

There was a long silence, so long that Sakura turned to see if Kakashi had disappeared or "was lost in thought." To her surprise, Kakashi was behind her, robe tied tightly around him. He was grinning at her.

"Was it really that bad?" he asked impishly.

Sakura blinked and her first reaction was to slap his smirk right off his face, but she stopped, and slowly her anger faded away into amazement.

This was the first time she had seen Kakashi's face properly. She had thought him to be handsome before, but this was a whole different level of beauty. Perhaps it was only her feelings for him that amplified his attractiveness and she was just being overdramatic, but she had never seen anyone as good looking as him and she couldn't tear her eyes away.

It took Kakashi a moment to realize Sakura was staring at him, but when he did he couldn't help but feel a sense of manly pride. He cracked another smile and she gasped softly.

"Are you done ogling me for the day?" he asked, and Sakura blushed with embarrassment and shame. She tried to turn around, but Kakashi caught her and turned her back towards him. He chuckled and forced her to look up at him.

"I'm just teasing," he murmured softly. He was silent for a moment before slowly, almost imperceptibly, he moved his mouth next to her ear. His breath was hot on her skin, causing shivers to run down her spine, freezing her body where it stood.

His voice dropped an octave and he muttered, "In fact, I really don't mind you looking."

Sakura's breath hitched and he pulled her closer, Sakura nearly stumbling into his arms. His smile faded slightly, but it was still there, but hidden under something entirely different, a strange feeling that caused Sakura's heart to speed up. He looked at her softly, and her eyes widened.

There was something in that gaze, a very complex emotion that Sakura had never seen on him before. It was so foreign and it almost frightened her, but once she saw it, she knew what it was and it made her heart stop.

There was no way that he… It was almost too powerful a thought to imagine, but once she did, a rush of desire flooded through her body in one powerful wave that she outwardly gasped. Kakashi saw and heard it, and once he did, his hands grabbed onto her tightly.

Sakura could feel his heart thudding rapidly in his chest, but not nearly as fast as hers. She looked into his eyes, unable to gaze anywhere else. His eyes were intense and darker than usual, but filled with warmth.

"Kakashi," she whispered pleadingly, "I…"

His hand slowly came up and brushed away wet hair that clung to her face before his fingers slowly trailed down, tracing the scar below her eye with the lightest touch until he was cupping her cheek. Kakashi's hand was rough with training, but warm. Sakura instinctively leaned into his hand, turning into it and kissing his palm. Underneath her mouth, she felt him tense up and she thought she had done badly. She looked up for apology, but she needed none. He wasn't angry, no, far from that. He looked… anxious.

"Sakura."

Kakashi's voice was strained, as if he was trying to hold something back. Already he was struggling, his body visibly taunt.

Sakura gazed at him, eyes heavy with suppressed emotions. Slowly they drifted down to his lips. She wondered what it would be like for that self same mouth to be on hers. Unconsciously, she licked her lips.

Whatever resolve was there broke in an instant. Hesitating for only the briefest of moments, Kakashi grabbed each side of her face and swiftly, without warning, put his lips to hers.

For a moment, Sakura had no idea what had just happened, but once she realized what Kakashi was doing, she instinctively tried to pull back, but Kakashi wouldn't let her go. He grabbed the back of her head and held her to him, slanting his mouth against hers, overpowering her.

Shock fell away to pleasure and Sakura melted into his arms, her eyes drifting closed. For too long she had wanted this kiss, and now that she had it, it was more than she could ever imagine.

The simple kiss soon changed and Kakashi was smothering her, planting his lips wherever he could reach. Sakura gripped onto him for dear life, unable to support herself. He was overloading her senses, his soft lips moving against skin, sending electric thrills through her body. Never before had she experienced such powerful feelings and it was too much for her to bear.

She moaned and Kakashi reacted violently, pushing her up against the wall, trapping her between it and his strong body. To her dismay, his lips left hers, but her disappointment fell away to pleasure when his tongue darted out and licked the soft skin of her neck. Her head fell back as he kissed her, his touches as light as feathers. She tangled her fingers into his hair and pressed him closer before pulling his head back up to hers to kiss her properly.

Sakura felt, with a flash of dizzying sensations, a hardness pressing against her stomach and her own body hummed with desire. She was so very hot in her robe. If she didn't do anything about it, Sakura was sure she would die. She almost asked Kakashi to take it off for her so that he could relieve the tension within her.

Then she felt his tongue brushing against her mouth and suddenly she realized that what they were doing was wrong. Yes, she wanted it, and yes it felt good, but it was very _wrong_.

This was Kakashi. This was her friend and former teacher, _not _her lover, despite all the conflicting feelings, desires, and emotions. It was social law, and even if she damned the law, it wouldn't change the fact that he would be shunned for his choice. He couldn't be with her like this, no matter how much either of them wanted it. To be with him would damn him, and Sakura would rather die before she did that.

"Stop," she mumbled breathlessly, turning her face away from his before he could deepen the kiss. But her body refused to cooperate, and her hands clenched tightly into the fabric of his robe, tugging it. Kakashi shrugged off his sleeves, the top of the robe slipping down the back of his body and hanging from his waist. He buried his face into her neck, sucking her flesh all the while his hands slowly roaming up her sides.

Sakura's eyes stung with tears of frustration and confusion. She didn't know what she wanted. Everything was horribly conflicted and it was making her mind tear away from its body. She was torn in two directions and both sides refused to give way. She had to make a choice.

_It's either your desires… or your future… What are you going to choose? _

Her desires. She wanted her desires and she wanted them to be fulfilled. She wanted Kakashi to strip her bare and pin her to the wall. She wanted him, she wanted his love, and she wanted to love him unconditionally. It was all she desired, all she wished for. She would take them, no matter what happened!

_No._

She just couldn't. She couldn't do it to him.

Never.

Forcing herself to move, she grabbed onto his arms and tore herself from him, breaking their kiss and shattering whatever could have grown between them. She stumbled back and panted, her breath lost and her body aching, but it was her heart that pained her the most. She swore she could feel it breaking.

Kakashi stood before her, his arms still outstretched, his lips slightly swollen with kisses. He seemed to be stuck, his mind still working out what had happened. Once he caught up, a confused look crossed his features. He took a step towards her.

"Sakura-"

She backed up, shaking her head. "Don't come any closer," she whispered warningly. "If you know what's good for you, don't come any closer!"

Kakashi shook his head. "What's wrong?" he asked, baffled. "What did I do?"

"You know very well what you just did!" snapped Sakura and without thinking she pulled her robe closer around her body, eyes darting to the ground so he couldn't see the tears that began to form.

Silence overtook the room as Kakashi stared at Sakura, working out her words within his head. Then there was a sharp intake of breath and Kakashi's confusion fell away to horror in a flash as he suddenly realized just what he had done. He visibly paled and quickly he reached for her to beg for forgiveness.

"Sakura, I-"

"Don't come any closer!" she shrieked, stumbling back towards the door, eyes refusing to meet his. "Please!" she begged, shaking her head back and forth, "just go away!"

Kakashi took another step forward.

"No, I need to make this right. Sakura, just hear me out!" He saw her turn, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. Suddenly, like an enraged cat, her hand came out and slashed out at his arm. He let go in a cry of pain, causing Sakura to stumble and fall to the ground.

The moment she hit the wooden floor, her head shot up, her eyes wide with horror as she watched red blood slowly trickle down Kakashi's arm. As if in a nightmare, Sakura slowly brought her hand up to her face. Her fingernails were lined with his blood, and soon her hand began to shake. Clenching it quickly and tucking it against her chest, she scrambled to her feet.

Kakashi clenched his teeth with pain, but looked up to see Sakura slowly back up towards the exit, her head slowly shaking.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Wounds forgotten, he ran towards her.

"No, Sakura, it's alright," he said quickly, "Please, just let me-" He reached for her again.

She turned and bolted out of the bathhouse, rushing towards the inn as fast as she could. Tears inadvertently stung at the corners of her eyes and fell down her cheeks. Her hand quickly came up and dashed them away.

He was making it difficult, so difficult that she had hurt him. She hadn't wanted to, but she still did. She had _wounded_ him to keep him from _loving_ her. What kind of cruel world had submitted her to such a horrible deed?

But… It had been necessary… hadn't it? She knew if he had gotten a good hold on her, she wouldn't have been able to deny him anything, no matter what the world thought, and that was dangerous.

_And he just wouldn't let up! _He was insistent, and that too was dangerous and stupid on his part. Couldn't he see what would happen if they got together? Surely he knew…

Sakura slowed. Of course he knew. But he didn't care. He wanted to be with her, and didn't give a damn about the consequences. All that mattered… was her.

Sakura's heart began to speed up and slowly she began to turn back towards the bathhouse. If he didn't care, then she didn't have to. They could be together that night, and perhaps the night after that. She wouldn't have to-

She stopped. No. It didn't matter what he wanted; what he wanted was wrong, so it was up to her to take care to put a stop to it before it grew. A small part of her bitterly remarked that it was _always _her that had to pick up the slack, even when it was just Team Seven, but these were much serious matters.

If he wouldn't stop it, then she would. This was for their – _his - _own good. But it still was painful and a part of her still fought mightily against it, but she would follow through with her duty, her personal duty.

Standing in the snow in the middle of the night brought a violent chill through her body and her feet strung from the cold. Quickly, she headed up the path away from the bathhouse. When she burst into the inn, she was met by June who instantaneously dropped the basket he had been holding and rushed forward.

"Sakura-sensei, what's wrong?" She looked at her, at her messy hair, disheveled robe, and swollen mouth, and immediately her eyes grew very serious.

"Sakura-sensei," she started out slowly, "did someone try to…"

It took Sakura a minute to understand June's implications before she quickly brushed it away.

"No, June, I was not attacked," she said resignedly, "I just…" She grew silent, unable to put what happened into words without bursting into tears.

June understood and grabbed her hand.

"It's okay," she whispered gently, "you don't have to tell me."

Sakura smiled thankfully and June returned it. Then the girl gestured towards the back room where the kitchens were.

"Come on, I'll make us some tea. Then maybe I can fix up those wounds of yours and perhaps then you can speak to me."

Sakura followed gratefully and followed without question. Once they sat down in a cozy corner of the kitchen lit by a single candle, Sakura began to relax. The tea was ginseng and it soothed her. She didn't doubt that was June's intention. Quietly she held her cup, staring and out the window next to her. It was a perfect view of the bathhouse, the small building covered in steam. It was growing dark and soon it would be shrouded in darkness.

June looked at Sakura, quietly contemplating before she set down her cup and regarded Sakura thoughtfully.

"I know he's not your brother," she began, startling Sakura so badly she almost spilt her tea all over herself. "Ume-san told me before she passed away. But don't worry; I think I'm the only one who knows. I don't even think she told Hitoshi-sama."

June picked her cup back up and took a small sip before setting it back down. She grew more serious now.

"I may be young, but I'm not stupid. You come here out of the blue in horrible condition, trying to act strong but clearly you are not. Then, in the middle of the night, you come rushing into here with clear signs of rape after being in a bathhouse with "Komegawa" Kakashi for many hours, your eyes pink with tears." She pinned her down with a look. "What happened to you two?"

Sakura looked at June and saw that she was really a smart girl, but she also seemed worried for her. She deserved an explanation. So, she sighed and held onto her cup of tea, warming her fingers.

"It's a long story," she said, "and it's not a very nice one."

Ume settled back into her chair. "I have time."

Sakura regarded her for a moment before sighing once more and sipping from her cup.

"Alright," she began, "I'll tell you."

So she did. She omitted certain things, such as names and some locations to keep identities safe, but she let her know that they were nin who were indeed not brother and sister, and that they were sent on a mission. She told her of the dance, and of their capture. She told her of their failed escape. Finally, she talked about the many nights of torture she had to endure, and then their escape.

Ume was silent, eyes wide, overcome with emotion. Sakura watched her quietly, waiting for her to say something.

After a moment, Ume looked up at her with reverence and asked quietly, "And what of you and Kakashi?"

Sakura sighed heavily into her cup and looked out of the window. It was now night and the bathhouse was completely hidden in darkness.

"Kakashi?" she whispered silently. "Well… Kakashi is something entirely different."

"Are you two lovers?" asked Ume.

Sakura looked at her sidelong and let out a false chuckle.

"No, I don't think so. But we've clearly crossed the line of friendship."

She half sighed, half groaned and she closed her eyes, suddenly feeling a headache come on. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't be with him, no matter how badly I want to."

"Why?"

"Because." Sakura opened her eyes and looked at June despairingly.

"He was my former teacher."

June's eyes widened only slightly before she gave Sakura the most sympathetic look she could manage.

"I see," she said softly. "That can be a problem."

"I know, and that is why I cannot be with him in that way. It's… It's just wrong. But it's unfair. It really is." She choked. "Why did it have to be him?" she said hoarsely. "I didn't ask for it. I didn't even want it. It just came, and while half of me loves it, the other half hates it. I'm torn between right and wrong, and I don't know what to choose!"

Tears welled up in her eyes and she had to turn away from June so she could compose herself.

June looked at Sakura sadly, her own eyes beginning to fill with tears. It had to be hard, loving someone whom she could not have, and to go through it by herself… June put down her cup and quickly rose out of her chair and bent over Sakura, hugging her, shouldering some of Sakura's pain. Immediately the other woman began crying, letting herself give into her sorrows.

As the two women stood there crying, they did not see a single figure just behind the kitchen doorway. He stood there, silently watching, tousling with his own inner turmoil, before he turned and left, leaving them alone. Quietly he climbed the stairs and entered his room. He went to the window that overlooked the bathhouse and silently stood there, looking into the night. Slowly, he leaned forward until his forehead was resting against the glass. He repeatedly pound his fist against the window weakly in frustration until his arm got tired and it dropped to his side. He sighed heavily, looking up into the sky with remorse.

What was he going to do?

* * *

Kakashi woke up early the next morning chilled to the bone and uncomfortably stiff. Rubbing his eyes, he looked around and realized that he had fallen asleep on the floor by the window. Upon further inspection, he saw that Sakura had not come to their room the previous night.

_Sakura. _Images of what happened in the bathhouse rose into the forefront of his mind and Kakashi couldn't help but feel discomforted. He knew he shouldn't have done that, and he knew that even as he had kissed her, but at the time, he couldn't give a rat's ass about anything but her. Unfortunately, everything had gone horribly wrong; she attacked him and then fled.

"And now our friendship is ruined," he groaned, putting his face into his hands. Why didn't he remember his promise to himself? He had specifically said that he wouldn't have her, not ever. He even gave plenty of reasons why he couldn't have her. Yet he still completely ignored everything and kissed her anyway.

Now he had to face her. He knew it. It wasn't as if he could avoid her for the rest of his life, as much as he wanted to. So, he picked himself up off the ground and decided to wash up.

To his surprise, there was a coat and bundle of fresh clothes for him sitting on the sink along with a note. He picked up the letter, reading it slowly.

_Your other clothes are being burned. I'm sorry, but they were beyond repair. I looked around and found you these instead. I hope they'll work._

_June wants to see you so she can treat your wounds. Make sure you go. I know you don't like doctors and hospitals, but for once in your life please go and get fixed up instead of walking around as a giant sore._

_Sakura_

Kakashi smiled and felt a weight being lifted off his chest. So she didn't hate him, which was good. But now it was a matter of trying to figure out just where they stood now. They weren't friends, and they weren't lovers. They were stuck in the middle on a plane that had no name, but was filled with confusion.

Kakashi looked at the note again and put it aside before putting on his clothes. They were similar to his old ones, but these were decidedly much softer and thicker to protect him from the cold. The coat was a dark blue and lined with a fur he did not recognize. He saw at the bottom of the pile, with surprise and slight amusement, a mask. He picked it up and inspected it, chuckling to himself. Shaking his head and rolling his eyes, he slid it over his head and down to cover his face. Already he felt much more comfortable and silently thanked Sakura for remembering. Flipping off all the lights, he left the room.

As much as he cared for Sakura, so much so that he would do practically anything for her, one thing he would not do without at least _some _hesitation was go to a doctor. Peering down the stairs, he could see June waiting at the bottom, medical kit in hand. Kakashi sighed, knowing Sakura had planted the blonde there to wait for his arrival.

June spotted him and immediately she stood in front of the stairs, blocking his exit.

"You're not going anywhere until I heal you!" she said determinately. "I promised Sakura-sensei!"

"Don't worry," said Kakashi, slowly making his way down the stairs, "I'm not going anywhere."

June was startled at his words and he arched an eyebrow in surprise. Stopping just in front of her, he regarded her with amusement.

"Yes?"

She blinked at him and suddenly she sagged and became downcast.

"Aw, I was hoping for a fight," she said dejectedly. She waved him over half-heartedly towards the sitting area. "Come on, let's get this over with."

Kakashi had to bite his tongue to stop from laughing and followed obediently. His treatment took nearly an hour with all his wounds, and during the examination he saw just how many more scars covered his body. Overall, he was in good health and there would be no permanent damage.

As June applied peroxide to a cut, Kakashi asked, "How did Sakura's examination go?"

He watched as June suddenly got very huffy and pressed the peroxide covered cotton ball into his wound rather roughly, causing him to hiss in pain. She pulled back and apologized and continued on more gently, but she was still very peeved.

"She didn't let me," she said irritably. "She said she could heal them herself, which she did, but still…!"

"But still is right," said Kakashi, frowning. That was very unlike Sakura to pass off free treatment like that. Perhaps she was trying to hide something. He shook his head. He would confront her about it later.

"June, by chance do you where Sakura is now?" asked Kakashi.

June stopped in her ministrations and looked up at him. There was a peculiar look in her eyes, one that made Kakashi a little uneasy. She rocked back on her heels and regarded him seriously.

"You're going to talk to her about last night then," said June.

Kakashi looked away. "I… Yes. I am."

June sighed and stood up and began to put away her medical gear.

"I know everything, your mission and the bathhouse incident."

"I know. I heard you two talking last night."

June stopped. "You did?" She shrugged. "I never would have pinned you as an eavesdropper." She continued on. "Sakura was better this morning, but she's still a little upset. She went down to the Bronze Kettle to talk with Akane."

"Well, then that's where I'm going." Kakashi stood up but was immediately pushed back down by June. He opened his mouth to retort, but was quickly shushed.

"You need to go and see Hitoshi-sama first," said June sternly. "He only just heard you came back into town and he wants to meet up with you. Sakura can wait."

Kakashi wanted to reply, "No, Sakura _can't _wait," but decided that June was, in the end, right. He didn't want to keep his burly friend waiting. The longer he waited, the bigger the hug he'd receive, and the bigger the hug, the longer his back would hurt from the spine crunching embrace.

Unconsciously he rubbed his back and stood up again, towering over June, daring her to push him back down again, which she didn't.

"I'll go and meet Hitoshi then," said Kakashi before June could say anything more. "Where is he at?"

"He should be at the town hall," said June, stepping away from Kakashi, knowing that she could trust him to go to Hitoshi. "You remember where the town hall is, right?"

"Of course." He tilted his head to her. "Thanks for the fix up. You really are quite gifted."

"You're welcome," said June quickly, unable to stop the blush of embarrassment from rising into her cheeks. She busied herself in searching through her basket. She pulled out a heavy blue scarf and handed it to him shyly. "Here, it's really cold outside. You'll need this." She shooed him towards the door impatiently. "Get going now, don't keep Hitoshi-sama waiting!"

Kakashi let out a small chuckle and waved goodbye, exiting the inn to go off and search for his friend.

The moment he stepped out, he was hit by the cold of winter so fiercely his knees locked and he could barely take in a breath. Shivering, he looked up to the gray sky. It was darker than the other day and not a single ray of light penetrated the thick winter sky. They had just missed the wrath of the snow. Another day outside and they would have frozen to death.

"Far too close," murmured Kakashi to himself as he wrapped the scarf around him and tucked it into the front of his coat. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and set off down the road.

River's Bend, despite the cold, was as alive as ever, perhaps more so. Steam rose along the sides of the road where vendors sold warm treats and thick hot chocolate that warmed up even the chilliest of bodies. Children were laughing and playing, throwing snowballs and rolling up small snowmen. He saw with a laugh that one of the children had been the skeleton for a snowman and now their head was poking out from a large sphere of snow.

Winter clothes were displayed on racks that were protected by canvases, drawing buyers in with the prospect of warmth. A team of men set off down the road, shoveling up snow and throwing it to the side to make room for carts of supplies being brought from storerooms. Kids laughed and chased the wagons, jumping into the piles of jars and blankets before they were shooed away.

Those same children now came towards him, laughing and dancing around his legs. He watched them, amused.

"And just what are you doing?" he asked, laughter tickling his voice.

The children giggled. "Kakashi-san, Kakashi-san, Fisherman of Hitoshi-san," they chanted and giggled, pulling on his pants towards the Town Hall.

"Hey, easy!"

The Town Hall was packed with people. The smell within the building was no longer of sickness and death, but of fruit pies, spiced meat, cured hides, sweet candies and popery. Quilts hung against the walls, some displaying patters that rivaled the colors of the setting sun. The chatter was a constant thrum that was occasionally highlighted by laughter. Within the babble there was a deep guffaw and Kakashi immediately knew who it was.

Careful not to surprise him, the ninja slowly approached Hitoshi. The bigger man spotted him and his eyes grew wide. Kakashi gave him a smile and a wave.

"Yo."

"KAKASHI!" bellowed Hitoshi and in two strides he was to his friend, grabbing him and embracing him in a spine cracking hug. "Oh, how good it is to see you again, my friend!"

"Likewise," wheezed Kakashi, thanking the stars when he was finally set back down on the ground. Gasping for breath, he quickly gathered himself and regarded Hitoshi with slight humor.

"One day you're going to break me in two," said Kakashi almost too seriously.

Hitoshi laughed and clapped Kakashi on the back.

"Perhaps my friend, perhaps. Come now, it looks like the cold has bitten off your face, whatever's visible that is! Let's head down to the Bronze Kettle. Akane makes some of the best hard cider!"

At the mention of the Bronze Kettle, whatever happiness was within Kakashi dissipated and left the cold, sharp feeling of fear. Sakura was at the Kettle and if he went, he would have to face her and he was by no means ready to do that just yet.

Unfortunately for Kakashi, he wasn't going to have a choice for as soon as Hitoshi had suggested hard cider, he was being led out of the Town Hall and down the main street towards the river.

"W-wait," stuttered Kakashi, half nervous, half freezing, "what about the tea shop? Tea sounds good right now…"

"No!" was Hitoshi's immediate reply followed by a clap on the back. "You must have Akane's cider! It is to die for, my friend!"

_No, it's _not_ that important._

Kakashi sighed, defeated. There was no way he was going to weave his way out of this one, not when the giant bear-like man next to him was gripping his shoulder like it was the last jug of ale.

"Alright, you win, my friend. Let us see just how good this hard cider is."

Hitoshi let out a great bark of laughter. "That's what I wanted to hear! Come now, inside we go!"

The Bronze Kettle was packed to the brim with people. Kakashi knew immediately that Akane's cider had to be extremely popular; the air around them smelled strongly of fermented apples. Somewhere in the corner of the tavern there was a man playing a flute and in front of him, couples danced and spun, stamping their feet to the music.

Within that group was Sakura.

Kakashi watched – no, stared, at Sakura as she laughed and spun around, linking arms with a fellow barman and going round and round as the flute piped out short and lively notes. Kakashi was so drawn to Sakura and her graceful movements he didn't notice that Hitoshi had moved next to him.

"Your sister is a popular one, it seems," said Hitoshi. He looked down at Kakashi over his beard. "What are you going to do about it?"

Kakashi, finally noticing that Hitoshi was talking to him, shook himself out of his stupor.

"Nothing," he said roughly before turning around and pointing. "I'll be over there."

Hitoshi reached out to say something else, but Kakashi had already disappeared into the throng of people. The large man stared after him for a moment before he shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

"Sometimes I don't get that man," he mumbled to himself before he went to go off and search for Akane.

Kakashi sat down heavily, already feeling tired. He slowly stripped off his coat and pulled away his scarf that had begun to itch from the wetness of his breath. Wiping away the perspiration off his brow, he scanned the crowd, looking for Sakura once more.

To his surprise, she wasn't to be seen. Another look around revealed the same result. He frowned and scratched his chin, wondering where she could have gone.

The only warning was the strong smell of cider.

"Here," said Sakura suddenly from behind him, a cup appearing in his peripheral view. "It's good."

Kakashi, suddenly feeling quite awkward, nodded and took the drink from Sakura's hand silently. Sakura sat down before him, her own drink in her hands. He looked away from her, focusing his gaze on anything but her beautiful, pale face. The barmen, the window, the pictures on the wall, anything but her.

Suddenly, Sakura's hand reached out and grabbed his right arm. He moved to protest, but when she slowly pulled up his sleeve, revealing the small thin wounds she had made, he knew what she planned to do. He waited as she just barely touched his skin with her fingers, her chakra swelling, sealing up the cuts before the light slowly ebbed away. She pulled down his sleeve for him, looking back to her mug.

Kakashi flexed his arm, testing it, before silently setting it back on the table.

"Thank you," he murmured, not quite sure what to say.

"You're welcome," was Sakura's quiet reply. A long silence stretched between them so Kakashi busied himself in drinking his cider. One sip and he mightily agreed that Akane was the Mistress of Hard Cider. It warmed his hungry body nicely. He took another sip before setting it back down so he could stare at the contents within.

Sakura regarded him silently for a moment before she took a drink from her cup and set it down.

"Kakashi," she said, her voice quieter than normal, "we need to talk."

"Hn," was Kakashi's reply.

Sakura sighed. "You can at least pretend you're interested in the conversation."

He paused and refrained from saying "Hn," again. Instead, he nodded and clasped his cup tightly to stop his hands from shaking.

"I'm listening."

The kunoichi nodded and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Her fingers clenched tightly onto the front of her pants.

"Last night," she began before she all together failed in speaking. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she ran a hand through her hair and looked away from Kakashi.

"You know what happened," she said, eyes indescribable. "And you know… You know that shouldn't have happened… Right?"

Kakashi's grip on his mug tightened, but he remained silent. Sakura waited for a moment for a word from him, and when she did not get one, she continued.

"Kakashi," she said, "what happened between us… can't happen again. It's wrong, and you know it. We can't… _You _can't…"

"Wait," cut in Kakashi sharply. "What do you mean by "you?" Kakashi let go of his mug and looked at Sakura hard. "Explain."

Sakura, suddenly feeling that the tables had turned, lost what confidence she had and began to fumble.

"W-well, I mean, what you did is… Is bad for you and your… your reputation, and I-"

In a flash, Kakashi's hand snatched out and grabbed Sakura's wrist. There wasn't even enough time for Sakura to protest before she was being drug out of the Bronze Kettle and onto the street. She was blindly led down the road and turned onto an unused alley. Kakashi stopped her there, wheeling her around so that she faced him directly.

She stared up at him, eyes wide with fear.

"Kakashi?"

"Sakura," said Kakashi sharply, "is the reason behind your reaction last night because _you_ thought what _I_ did was _wrong _for me? Is that why you say we can't be together?"

Sakura gasped, the word 'together' ringing in her ears. Almost her fear was forgotten before Kakashi snapped at her again. She shook with fright and cold.

"A-as your friend," she stuttered, "it's my job that your life is good and prosperous."

"And as a friend," retorted Kakashi angrily, "you should open yourself more to other's thoughts and not just your own opinioned ideas."

"But my ideas are based on truth!" exclaimed Sakura as he pulled away from her in frustration. "Kakashi, you've risked everything you've worked so hard for in… in being with me." She finished quietly, cheeks reddening slightly.

She continued on, much more persistent this time. "What you've done will spoil your reputation, soil your good name, and ruin you-!"

"You do not make my decisions_," _said Kakashi in a steely voice, stunning Sakura speechless. He veered towards her and grabbing her shoulders, shaking her firmly. "Do you think if I cared about all of that I would have kissed you? No. So, don't start making decisions about _my _life and _my _choices because they're_ not yours to make."_

Sakura stood there, dumbfounded, shaking with fear and the thrill that Kakashi was risking everything for her. But did he understand? Truly?

"Kakashi…"

He stepped towards her, his body towering over hers. Slowly, he grabbed her hands and brought them up to the edge of his mask. He curled her fingers around the end and slowly made her pull it down. Sakura stared, transfixed as more and more of his skin was revealed until his soft, thin lips came into view. Those same lips were now being licked, causing Sakura to shudder.

"I make my own decisions," said Kakashi with a whisper, pulling her hands away from his mask and wrapping them around him. He ran his fingers through her hair, tilting her face towards his. "And I know what I want."

Doubt flickered in Sakura's mind. "But-"

Kakashi silenced her with a brutal kiss, his lips slanting harshly against hers. She gasped and Kakashi took the initiative, delving his tongue into her warm, wet orifice. Sakura moaned loudly, taking her shaking fingers and digging them into the back of Kakashi's skull, pulling on his hair. Kakashi drank in her sweetness, his warm tongue slipping and caressing her own. He backed up to the wall, wrapping his arm around her middle so that she would have no escape. He moved his lips only briefly to give love bites along her neck before moving up to kiss her again.

He pulled back from the kiss, gasping for air, before he rubbed himself against her, causing her to moan again.

"Kakashi," she gasped, her breath coming out in puffs of white steam, "s-stop…"

"Do you really want me to stop this?" he whispered, arching into her again, once again raising a cry from her lips. "Because it sounds like you don't want me to stop."

"Mmmm…" Sakura shook her head, fingers clinging onto his back. "I… I don't know!" she exclaimed, her cry turning into a near shriek when his cold hands moved under her shirt and up her back, sending frozen thrills through her body.

Kakashi bent down to her ear, his breath hot on her skin. "This isn't the proper place," he murmured. "We should go back to the inn."

Through the fog of lust, Sakura registered Kakashi's words, and once she did, a flood of desire rushed through her in such a powerful wave she nearly collapsed against him.

"Yes," she gasped, "the inn. Right…"

Collecting themselves, they smoothed out their clothing, fixed their hair, and inconspicuously made their way into the crowd and up the road. The only thing that would make people give a second thought about the two was that they were hurrying quickly, far too quickly to just be strolling along.

Sakura's heart was beating rapidly in her chest, the blood all rushing to her head. She was shaking with desire, her brain only just registering where she was walking. Not even the biting cold fazed her even though her nose and ears were turning very red.

Her fantasies were coming to life right before her and finally, after all the dreams, she would be with Kakashi. They would be together and it was not just some wonderful fancy. It was _real. _It was her reality and it had never tasted so sweet.

She looked over to Kakashi, _her _Kakashi, and he looked back to her. No, it wasn't her reality, it was _theirs._

In the distance there was a scream, and then an ear splitting explosion that knocked Sakura and Kakashi off their feet and onto the ground. Around them the people of River's Bend rose up into a crowd of fear as more and more screams echoed across the air. Carts rumbled across the road as people flooded towards the river, far away from the giant cloud of smoke that rose into the sky.

Sakura staggered to her feet, ignoring the sharp pain in her chest.

"What the hell was that?" she exclaimed, Kakashi straightening next to her, eyes narrowing.

"I don't know," he said, "but we're going to find out. Come on!"

The two nin kicked off the ground and rose into the air and up to the rooftops. The moment their feet brushed tile, they were off, speeding above the streets, only blurs in the air as they jumped from rooftop to rooftop.

Once white snow began to fall gray, a mix of ash and dirt. It stained Sakura and Kakashi's clothes, dripping down their arms in muddy trails. The air grew tainted and stung their lungs, making the simple act of taking in air an effort. Sakura felt herself begin to feel dizzy from the pain within her chest. Closing her eyes, she calmed herself, blocking out all sensations, before opening them once more, focusing her gaze on the large plume of smoke.

As they drew closer to the explosion, they grew aware of the silence that surrounded them. If there had been people, they were now gone or they had fled. The only remaining sound was that of cracking timber and the smell of burning wood.

"Kakashi," gasped Sakura, "that cloud! That's where the inn is!"

Kakashi gave a quick nod. "Faster, then!"

Feet quickening, they sped up before they came to a stop just before the clearing. To their horror, they saw the remains of the inn. The only things left were the charred beams that were the skeleton for the building and the cracked foundation. There was no time to worry for anyone's safety for a voice rose out to them.

"Well, well, well," said the voice, "it looks like I've found you." The voice echoed through the emptiness around them, surrounding them. "You're going to pay for what you've done."

Kakashi spun around, his visible eye drawn down in a scowl. "Show yourself!" he demanded.

Then, he felt it behind him, a familiar presence, one that had been beaten into his very flesh. Kakashi turned and looked into the smoke that rose from the destruction. A figure was visible within the gray cloud. It came closer and closer until finally he recognized who it was.

Sakura stepped next to Kakashi, eyes narrowed.

"Vighan," she growled, fists clenching.

Vighan stopped. They saw, with a sudden shock and disgust, the former Rebelle leader's face was half melted on one side, warping his once handsome features into that of a monster or demon. Where his left arm once was was now instead a rather malformed instrument of horror that served to be a replacement of his once fleshy limb. It looked to be a weapon of death; it was long and made of twisted metal that had looked to have been melted in haste. Where the joints were were deadly spikes that were curved out, looking for something to dig themselves into. Long, jagged razors were fingers, but they could hardly be called as such. The arm had dozens of bright red scrolls attached to the length of it, each one bearing a mark of fire.

Vighan looked down at his appendage with a crazed gleam in his eye.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" he whispered. He caressed it with his other hand as a mother would a baby. "With a little chakra and some fire jutsus, I was able to come up with this. Can you believe I made this amongst the rubble where my once magnificent lair once stood? And it's all thanks to you!"

Vighan turned on them, his smile splitting his lips, eyes huge.

"Now, I do not need the help of others to do my dirty deeds." His eyebrows drew down, devious and menacing, before he snatched a red scroll off of his arm. He turned on them, eyes shinning, his grin still toothy and demented. "I can go out and do the deed myself!"

Vighan tossed the scroll into the air. It unraveled and the letters written on it began to glow red hot. Kakashi gasped and grabbed Sakura, leaping backwards and away. The scroll exploded, sending Kakashi and Sakura propelling even further back. They landed hard on the ground, rock and gravel spraying around them. Without even time to breathe, they heard another hiss of a scroll lighting up before they quickly pushed off the ground and took flight, hiding behind a building just before the scroll exploded in another horrendous boom.

"Where are you?" cried out Vighan in the distance, yet another scroll lighting up and exploding. "Come out wherever you are!"

"This guy's crazy!" hissed Sakura, wincing as another explosion nearly split her eardrums. "He's going to end up blowing _himself_ up! Kakashi, what do we do?"

"I'm not sure," he replied, peering around the corner of the building to see Vighan wandering around in a circle, a red scroll in his hand. "We can't get close enough without being blown to bits."

"Can't we just wait until he runs out?"

Kakashi gave her a waspish look. "If you want this entire part of River's Bend to be reduced to rubble, then yes."

Sakura mentally smacked herself. "Right…"

Vighan turned, grinning. "I see you!"

A red scroll came flying towards them. Quickly, they jumped out of the way. The building they had been hiding behind exploded into chunks of large stone. Kakashi, in the air, turned to Sakura.

"I'll distract him and lead him away from the village. You get everyone to evacuate!"

They landed, Sakura turning on him with blazing anger.

"_What?! _You're taking him on alone?"

She did not get a reply. Already Kakashi was off, disappearing into a cloud of dust. Angrily, she bit back an obscenity and set off down the road, doing her best to ignore the throbbing worry that stuck itself deep within her stomach.

She went through the houses that surrounded the area of the explosions. Luckily, people were in the right mind to get out of their homes and away from the danger. Immediately after deeming the north part of the town empty, she headed down the south main street to where the people were now flooding towards.

She spotted Hitoshi just on the edge of the crowd, trying to gather everyone's attention. Sakura stopped before him, nudging him quickly.

"Hitoshi," she gasped, "you must help me get everyone out of here. Is there another way out besides the north exit?"

Hitoshi only just barely registered Sakura presence before he replied.

"Y-yes," he said, startled, "there is, the northwest one. Is it really that bad?"

"Yes, it is. Now please you must help me get everyone out!"

Hitoshi nodded in understanding, his usually jolly face turning very serious. "Alright, I understand. But where is Kakashi?"

Sakura's breath hitched and almost she gave away her fear.

"He's buying us time," she said quickly. "Now, let's hurry. I don't know how much longer we'll have before Vighan moves deeper into the city!"

Hitoshi, not even bothering to question who Vighan was, took a deep breath and bellowed, "_To the northwest exit!"_

The crowd as a whole silenced for a moment before they quickly shifted and moved back up the street, nearly overcoming Sakura and sending her crashing to her feet. Lucikly, Hitoshi was there to keep her from being trampled to death.

Sakura gave him quick thanks. "Do you think you can handle it from here?" she asked.

"Of course," said Hitoshi a-matter-o-factly. "That's why I'm mayor, isn't it?"

Sakura nodded, smiling. "That's exactly why. I'm going to go and help Kakashi. Take care, Hitoshi!"

"Take care, Sakura!" Hitoshi waved as Sakura sped off towards the north gate where another great cloud of dust and dirt rose into the sky, shaking the ground and rippling the air.

A fire sparked in the distance, embers swirling amongst the ash. The fighting grew more intense, and as it grew, so did Sakura's fear.

_You'd better be safe, Kakashi!_


	17. Devil's Fire

--

Earlier that morning, Kakashi had woken up with the thought that his day was going to be filled with anger, hurt, and rejection, but then everything had changed and his view on his life just minutes before had been a good one, filled with the possibility of a good future. It had been a welcome upset.

Then, Vighan, from the middle of nowhere, had to crush his happy moment that he had so thoroughly earned. So not only was he angry with him for attacking the town, he was pissed that his time with Sakura ruthlessly quashed. Kakashi wasn't going to let Vighan leave without being properly punished.

"Why won't you just die?" growled out Kakashi in frustration as he evaded another bomb. The scroll exploded, fire licking the edges of his clothes, singeing it only slightly. Kakashi landed, swearing that the attacks were getting stronger.

Vighan stepped through the rising dust and smoke, a smug smirk on his face. "What," he said, reaching for another bomb, "are you getting tired already?"

Truth be told, he _was _getting tired. Kakashi had led Vighan far from River's Bend and deep into the forest. The snow was thicker there and it was extremely dangerous just walking. He had exerted much strength just keeping him from crashing to the ground. Not only that, he had forgotten his coat at the Bronze Kettle and the cold was biting him ferociously. It sapped his energy like water in a desert and he was feeling weaker by the minute. Then there was the fact that Kakashi had not properly recovered since his ordeal at the Rebelle base. Yes, he was tired.

Also, he was frustrated. Kakashi had originally planned on burning time until Vighan ran out of bombs. He was not strong enough yet to get back into battle or even use his sharingan; he was just far too weak. Of course he hadn't told Sakura that when he had commanded her to evacuate the town. He hadn't been in the mood to argue with her then, so a little white lie had saved her. On the other side, it had probably doomed him. That wasn't particularly fair, as if he had been given trick dice that always landed snake eyes. Still he kept playing the game even though he was bound to lose, no matter how hard he wished for a pair of sixes.

For instance – the bombs Vighan threw at him like confetti at New Years. For some miraculous, amazing, infuriating reason, the mutilated man seemed to have an endless supply of the things. When the red scrolls disappeared, more would appear from what seemed like nowhere. Thirty minutes into the cat and mouse chase and Vighan had thrown at least fifty of them at him. The proof was in the destruction behind them. Trees were strewn everywhere, some on fire and spreading the flames faster than anyone could imagine, seeing that it was winter. Smoke was rising and stifled the already sharp, chilly air.

Kakashi faced Vighan with a glare. "Whether I'm tired or not, it doesn't matter. All that matters is that _you _go away"

Despite himself, Kakashi kept thinking about Sakura and every time his thoughts began to wander, he had to mentally smack himself and remind himself that his life was, in fact, threatened. Yet she always kept popping back into his head, thousands of thoughts accompanied by her image. Was she okay? Did she make it out alright? More and more thoughts piled up and he could barely concentrate at the task at hand.

Vighan threw another scroll and Kakashi dodged it, ignoring the snow that spattered on his clothes, on his skin, and in his hair. His patience and energy were wearing thin. The constant destruction all around him, forcing him to leap around like a monkey, was annoying him more than he wished. He was not prepared to jump and dodge the entire time and the thought briefly awoke the desire to say very stupid things.

The Copy Nin regarded Vighan with a mixture of impatience and boredom.

"Bombs are fun, I'll give you that," said Kakashi with a gesture, "but this is getting a little old."

_Yeah, Kakashi, let's just egg him on a bit more. Maybe he'll give you a hat and a music box too, and you can dance around for coins._

Vighan barked out laughter and Kakashi watched as the red scrolls on the man's arm seemingly dissolve into the limb, disappearing completely. They were clearly some sort of chakra, which explained the endless amount of them, but it was still mildly impressive.

Vighan flexed his arm, staring up and down the long dagger fingers of his hand. "You're right," he said, tracing a finger down the edge of one of the blades. His finger stopped, a drop of blood slipping down the metal and falling to the snow. He looked down at his wound and licked it clean before grinning at Kakashi.

"Dodge this, Copy Ninja!"

Kakashi barely caught what Vighan had said before the man thrust out his disfigured arm. The fingers on the hand shot out, wires stringing behind them. The metal flashed dangerously in the air as they approached their target.

Kakashi's eyes widened before his mind sprung into action. He bunched up and leapt away, evading the pointy reckonings. They landed in the snow, sticking out from the ground like small statues that marked death. Kakashi silently thanked that they weren't covered in his blood.

Unfortunately, it seemed that the twisted man had more planned for him.

"It's not that easy!" cried out Vighan. With a shake of his arm, a bright red rune flared on the back of his hand. It flashed and fire flared up from it, dancing wildly before speeding up the wires, merging and becoming one with the metal. A moment, then the knives came to life and began to rise off the ground, glowing red hot and moving dangerously towards Kakashi, blazing so strongly that the snow beneath them was melting fast.

Kakashi fixed the knives a very annoyed glare. "Well, isn't this a fantastic change in pace?"

Vighan laughed before swinging his arm out towards Kakashi. The ropes lashed and then the flaming knives lunged for him. Kakashi dodged, but then to his horror, the knives changed direction, speeding towards him, fire blazing. Just as he landed, they were upon him, wires wrapping around him, digging into his flesh and threatening cook him and slice him to pieces.

Vighan saw the wires tighten, the fire catch, and he cackled long and loud. "Goodbye, Hatake Kakashi!" He laughed louder when the flames roared and rose high into the sky, smoking with Vighan's victory.

But then, suddenly, Vighan felt slack in the chain and he fell back, the weight at the end suddenly disappearing. He crashed into the snow, the chains flying back into his hand and reattaching. He struggled to sit up, mind wild with confusion. Confusion turned to shock when his eyes caught the scorched log in the clearing when he felt a niggling at the back of his neck.

He was almost too slow. A shard of stone came racing towards him and he rolled out of the way in the knick of time, but the splinter had left a bleeding cut on the back of his neck. Vighan's good hand clamped down on the wound before he staggered to his feet, wheeling around to face where the weapon had come from.

"Kawarimi no jutsu," growled Vighan, trying to figure out where Kakashi was. "Only cowards use that!" Vighan let his hand drop to his side as he scanned the area, fully alert. He could hear nothing, sense no one. The Copy Nin was very stealthy indeed.

Kakashi watched from the trees, still mentally berating himself for missing his target and last real chance on taking Vighan down without any serious danger. He eventually let it pass, albeit his anger still simmered. His eyes were trained on Vighan as he scanned the trees.

As he sat crouched in the trees, his eyes trained intensely at the man in the clearing, a part of him couldn't but moan and complain. His feet ached, his arms ached, his eyes ached- he ached. He was not in the condition for this and he was fully aware of the fact that if he had to face Vighan in close combat, he would most definitely lose. He wished that he had thought the situation through just a little bit more, but he had rushed headfirst into things - a very Naruto-like thing to do.

_Something must be wrong with my brain, _thought Kakashi absently as he amusedly pondered the thought of him suddenly transforming into a blonde, hot-headed young man. _Perhaps I should let Sakura look me over._

Something _really _must have been wrong with him because a sudden fantasy flashed in his head with Sakura sauntering over towards him in a very skimpy nurse outfit, making him all sorts of happy.

"_Lose the clothes," _demanded Nurse Sakura, Kakashi already down to his boxers.

Kakashi sighed helplessly. Perhaps he _was _reading too many _Icha Icha _novels.

"You really are a coward," barked out Vighan, his voice shaking with a mixture of foul emotions, dragging Kakashi to the present. "You hide behind everything, don't you? You're just a little rat, scurrying away from the big old cat."

Vighan reached down and touched his arm. A red, glowing seal appeared underneath his fingertips. Vighan looked up at the forest one last time. "It's lucky that I've prepared traps for vermin like you!"

Something niggled at his senses and he turned around. Kakashi's eyes shot wide, staring at the bright red scroll plastered to the side of the tree that had escaped his view.

"Shit!"

Kakashi braced himself and Vighan suddenly activated the seal. In an instant, fires exploded all around the shinobi and around the clearing in one simultaneous blast. His view went gray for a moment before Kakashi was thrown from the tree, flaming pine spraying around him in flying missiles. He hit and rolled on the ground, coughing and gasping for air when he finally came to a stop. The ache from before was nothing compared to the total feeling of misery spreading through his body and mind. It was only because of a miracle and years upon years of training that Kakashi had made it out in one piece.

_Very stupid of you, Kakashi. Very, very stupid._

Vighan advanced slowly towards him, taking glee from the smoke that rose from his body. He stopped just before him, grinning smugly.

"Well," he said, "at least I know you're not some imitation. You know, that really looked like it hurt."

"You-" was all Kakashi could manage before he collapsed back on the ground, gasping for air that seemed to refuse to enter his lungs. The pain was there, yes, but it was nothing like the cold feeling of being under this man's power. Kakashi was no fool. He was in quite the situation.

_And it was all because of your naughty thoughts! _It was ironic that everyone's words had, in the end, found truth: _Icha Icha _would be his downfall.

Vighan's grin grew toothy and wide. A part of his melted face cracked and began to bleed. "I must admit, the bombs were an excellent idea on my part, don't you think?" Vighan began to walk around, eyeing the destruction around him as fires grew in the trees, turning the sky into dark ash. "Oh yes, it was genius. Sheer genius."

Vighan turned back around to Kakashi who had managed to get back on his feet, but he was not nearly the intimidating figure he once was. He looked as if a single breeze would send him toppling just like all the trees around them. The former Rebelle leader relished victory.

"Now," he said, putting his hand to his chin in thought, "there is only the question on how I should extract my revenge."

Kakashi took it all in stride, but his legs were going weak and his ears were still humming from the blast. He just wished that there was a bed nearby. He really liked beds.

Vighan saw that Kakashi was losing focus, so he rushed towards him and grabbed him by the scruff of his collar, pulling him forward, forcing him to look in straight in the eye. "You," he growled, "are not getting out of this without your punishment."

Kakashi was finished with Vighan and his insanity, was so sick and tired of being sick and tired, and all he wanted to do was rest. His brain was still rattling in his skull, and his body threatened to shudder and break like a doll in the hands of a toddler. He was done, done, done, so he opened his mouth and said with without the slightest regard for his fate:

"Then get it over with. You're not worth my time."

It took a moment for Vighan to register what Kakashi had said, as if his statement was entirely impossible to exist in that situation. But once he realized his words, Vighan grew furious and threw Kakashi to the ground. He raised his destructive hand, the blades glinting.

"Fine! You want to die so badly?" Vighan swiped his hand down. "Then die!"

Kakashi lay there, watching the weapon grow closer and closer. He found it odd that it moved so slowly, but he didn't particularly mind. It gave him time to think. He figured that he had to experience the sensation of his life flashing before his eyes at some point, so he let his mind wander.

He skimmed across his black and white memories, swimming so far back into the recesses of his thoughts that Obito and Rin were suddenly smiling and waving at him. How long had it been since he had thought of them?

Suddenly, the scene changed and Rin was leaning over him, a kunai hovering over his vision, a bloody something in her hand. An old fear accompanied his memories as Rin reached towards his face.

Again, it changed, and Kakashi found himself looking down at the paper that told him he was to be the sensei of Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura. He remembered feeling very put-out.

More memories past, brief moments of loss, pain, triumph and friendship. Oddly enough, however, in each memory, Sakura seemed to shine from them. Even when she was in the background at the time, now she was all he could see, her soft pink hair and vibrant eyes standing out from the faded, dimmed grays of everything else. And as more visions passed, he saw her growth from a lovesick know-it-all to a brave, wise, strong willed, beautiful woman.

The taste of apples was on his tongue and the fresh smell of blossoms filled his nose. He let himself sink into a pool of memories of Sakura, almost greedily taking the thoughts and savoring each moment. When he came across the sensation of her lips against his, he felt a pang in his heart. He wouldn't be able to have such an experience with her again.

_I'm sorry Sakura. _

The blade landed, striking hard, and Kakashi saw her one last time. She was before him, and he wondered if she had heard him. He hoped she did. If only she had truly been there. Then perhaps he could apologize properly.

But then, he realized that she _really_ _was_ before him. It wasn't some figment of his imagination. She was actually there, standing right in front of him. It was then he realized that he wasn't dead.

Metal connected with metal and Vighan reeled back when a fist came hurtling towards his vision. He sprung back, landing clumsily, trying to gather himself. As he straightened, he cast out an angry grin.

"So, Sakura," he said, eyes shinning with amusement at the angry glare plastered across her face, "you've decided to join the fun."

Kakashi heard voices and everything around him swirled in a torrent, revealing the present where he still lived. Dazedly, he looked up in front of him to see a very familiar kunoichi.

The sight of her caused relief to spread through him, but somehow the sensei and adult in him took over, smacking the inner love sick puppy within him soundly on the nose.

"I told you to leave," said Kakashi, clearly annoyed. He made sure, however, not to tell her just how happy he was to see her.

Sakura started at his sudden voice, but she did not dare look back at him lest Vighan try something sneaky. Instead, she snorted.

"You're welcome," she said derisively. "And next time I'll just let him slice you to ribbons."

"Well, isn't this lovely?" smiled Vighan dryly, not in the slightest amused with their exchange.

"Quiet, you!" snapped Sakura, shifting into an even more protective stance over Kakashi. She gripped onto the kunai she had salvaged within a collapsed weapon store with a vice like strength.

"Oh, am I interrupting a lover's quarrel?"

"Keep your twisted tongue inside that malformed mug of yours, you insignificant piece of shit!" snarled Sakura, clearly not in the mood for his behavior.

Vighan found that he was not nearly as offended by Sakura's comments as he was with Kakashi. In fact, just seeing Sakura's face again caused his previous longing to rise within him. He took a step forward, ignoring the step Sakura took back.

"Oh, how I missed you, Sakura." Vighan smiled, a strange and almost frightening thing to see on his badly deformed face. "You know, I can be a very forgiving man. Let's just put this whole mess behind us, shall we?"

Sakura eyes narrowed. "No."

Sakura had raced after Kakashi and Vighan after she had gotten things squared away at the village, hoping that she would make it in time to help. But every time she took a step forward, she'd always take two steps back. Vighan was throwing the bombs out like Yuriko would spend money; he'd just toss them for the hell of it. Because of that, trees would topple and crash in Sakura's path, making her chase into an obstacle course. Never before had she had to watch above her head for raining trees. It was a frightening, but mostly frustrating experience.

Then, when she finally caught up, yet another explosion had sent her back, but this time far back. The blast was so strong and had sent her sailing through the air. When she'd returned to her senses, she was surrounded by flame and ash. She rushed around, trying to find clean air, her lungs burning with intense pain. Soon she he had begun to stumble in circles, her head dizzy with nausea and pain. It was sheer luck when she broke into the clearing, allowing her to take in sweet air. However, when she arrived, not only did she find Vighan but also Kakashi staring up at his death.

Now that she was facing Vighan and Kakashi was behind her, protected for the most part, she was flooded with anger. There was no _way _he was going to ruin her happiness with Kakashi. Not ever.

"Oh, Sakura," sighed Vighan, taking a step closer, "you always play hard to get."

He took another step closer and Sakura deemed him far too close. She crouched and sprung, knocking Vighan back, sending him sliding across the snow. She flew right behind him kicking out to knock him back further, but Vighan blocked her, swinging out his mechanical arm. Sakura barely avoided it, jumping back and landing in the snow that was growing gray with ash.

Vighan straightened himself, looking at Sakura with disgust. "I can't believe you actually just did that," he said, brushing himself free of ash and snow.

Sakura felt the sudden urge to snarl at him not unlike an animal. "Believe it! That just shows how little you know about me."

"Yes," he agreed, glaring at her with distain, "I suppose you're right. I had no idea you are no better than an animal. It's… a shame, I suppose."

"I hardly care about what _you _have to say," she said sharply, already tensing for another attack. It was true, she didn't care. In fact, there were few things she did care about that moment. One was the burning feeling to utterly destroy Vighan. The other was the prickling fear towards Kakashi and the unshakeable desire to protect him.

Kakashi, on his part, was still feeling a bit peeved with Sakura's arrival. Briefly, he wondered if she was always going to be like this, ignoring his instructions. Then again, he thought after a moment, without her bull-headedness, he probably would have been dead, which was an inconvenience when it came to him and Sakura.

He attempted to stand, but he already felt his body protest so he resigned to sitting in the snow, however uncomfortable and slightly demeaning it was. He knew, as more snow and ash began to fall on him, covering him in gray, he was going to have to play the part of the damsel in distress, if only for a little while. Luckily, he was secure enough in his masculinity to not be overly perturbed with the fact Sakura was protecting _him, _not the other way around

However, he was not about to just sit there and wait for her to come and carry him off into the sunset. He slowly began to flex his arms and legs, trying to get the blood flowing back into them. He relaxed and took in careful breaths, completely clearing his mind as he slowly worked his body into order.

Sakura slashed out with her kunai, sparks flying when she hit his arm. As she recoiled from the blow, Vighan slashed out at her, just barely tearing at her clothes. Sakura jumped and attempted to get a better position to fight him, but he followed right behind her.

"Is this all you're going to do?" he laughed when she fled from him again. "You can't possibly be serious!"

Sakura's blood boiled at his comments, but somehow she kept herself in check. _Just focus on the task at hand, _said a calm voice within her, _just relax. _

_Kick his ass! _screamed Inner Sakura.

Sakura landed only to be thrown to the side by an explosion. She flew through the air, tumbling across the ground. Right as she hit the ground, she heard another noise and she forced herself to move, jumping far away and landing a good distance away just as another bomb went off.

When she came to a stop, her mind registered what had just happened and pain shot through her leg. Bleary eyed, she looked down at her calf which was red and blistered. She hissed, leaning down and smothering her burn with snow. She managed to focus enough to give her skin a quick brush with her healing, causing the sores to disappear, but still leaving that part of her leg a tomato red.

"Oooh," hissed Vighan, grinning as he approached her, "that must have hurt. You really must be more careful about those kinds of things."

She straightened only to waver under the pain of her injury. She glared at Vighan with as much hatred as she could muster, breathing heavily. A small, timid voice in her mind pointed out that her chest really hurt, but she was so focused on that moment she hardly cared.

Vighan stood before her, the fires around them outlining him in an orange glow. The sky snowed black ash, falling around them heavily. It was a scene taken from Hell, and Vighan was the devil and Sakura was the unfortunate soul that had stumbled into his domain.

"This is the part," he said, smiling, "that we stand here and talk, exchanging commentary about our pasts, feelings, and our emotions. It is, I suppose in terms of a story, the climax, where the protagonist meets the antagonist.

"Sakura," said Vighan, his eyes glinting with the pleasure of some inner thought, "I must ask: how do you feel, finally meeting the end of your journey?"

Sakura, for all that she was, did not expect that.

"What?"

"Surely I am the end of your long conflict," he said with a flourish, which was very strange to see when it was acted out by something no more than a monster. "Your mission, dear Sakura. Yes, I know about your mission. I have watched you since the day you stumbled across this hovel known as River's Bend. This story of yours is quite the page turner, and I am proud to say I have contributed to the best parts, especially the one with you and _him,_" he sneered, "on the bridge."

Sakura's sudden shock quickly melted into fury. "That was _you?"_

Vighan smiled. "Sakura, in this story, in this play of ours, I am the writer, the director, and you are merely a character in this wonderful tale I have spun."

Sakura knew he was crazy. Insane, rather. However, she was not prepared to interrupt him just yet. This was buying her time, giving her a chance to gather herself together and fight back.

"What else did you delve your dirty hand into?" sneered Sakura, her eye just barely catching something in the corner of her vision.

"Oh Sakura, to list all of what I influenced would take ages," said Vighan without lack of an air of pride. "But I must admit, I had help. Of course, most credit goes to Atsushi and Yuriko."

Their names suddenly brought up the fact that Sakura had no idea if they had made it out alive. Well, she didn't particularly care about Yuriko, but Yuu and Atsushi- if they didn't make it out alive…

Vighan must have seen the uncertainty in her eyes because suddenly his grin grew wide, stretching his melted face and cracking his lips. From his mouth came a cackle filled with so much malice and glee, it caused Sakura to shiver with fear and dread.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, breathing in the smoky air with relish. "How I _enjoy _being the bearer of bad news!"

The air grew colder, but the wind and cracking of fire grew quieter. Her stomach began to clench with sickness as bile rose up into her throat.

She mustn't ask. She could not bear the truth. She was already fragile, and to hear such a word as death would surely crush her under its weight. Yet, she had to know, or it would plague her thoughts until the day she died.

Her throat was hoarse. "What?"

Vighan's eyes sparkled with amusement. "They're dead," he said smoothly.

Sakura's stomach plummeted. Her rapid heartbeat suddenly slowed down to an almost deathly pace. It was loud and it was thudding in her ears, over and over, drowning out all other sounds. It seemed to be beating to the rhythm of the song that she and Yuu had danced to so long ago.

Her vision swam and her legs grew numb. The kunai in her hands slipped from her dead fingers as she stumbled back. She fought for breath, trying to regain herself, but images of Yuu filled her mind and she could not tear herself away from them.

"They were traitors. They were treated as such," said Vighan, watching Sakura crumble before him. "Besides, I needed to test this new weapon of mind somehow." He laughed. "You know, they were screaming until the very end. I even heard your name dribble from that young heir's lips. That was," he said slowly, picking dirt from his arm, "until I ripped out his tongue."

"No…"

He was supposed to get out. He was supposed to go back to his mother. He was supposed to reconcile with his father, and they were supposed to live together and… and…

"It looks like I have upset you," said Vighan with a sardonic tone. "That's too bad. Perhaps if you had just stayed with me, this would have never happened. In fact, the town would still be safe and they'd still be alive."

_If you had just stayed… _It was her fault. It was all her fault. She was so selfish! Why didn't she just give herself to him? Now, a man she had cared about dearly, a man that had saved her and Kakashi's life, was now dead by means that mocked his great bravery in the most horrible and shameful of ways.

And it was because of her.

She stood there, eyes staring unblinkingly at the sky. Her breaths were loud and coming in and out at a rapid pace until she was hyperventilating. She could think no coherent thoughts, could not feel any earthly sensation. She felt no fear, no anger, and Vighan might as well have been on the other side of the globe. She was alone, alone with her painful guilt.

Vighan stepped towards her, his metallic hand twitching as it grew closer to her body. "This is what you get," he whispered, "for betraying me."

A sound between a groan and a wail escaped her lips and he reached up, his mechanical arm flickering in the firelight.

"Allow me to take you out of your misery," said Vighan silkily, running his metallic fingers along Sakura's middle before thrusting his hand through her body in one swift movement.

At least, that was what Vighan had intended, but instead, his arm went through air. A second later and Vighan's eyes widened. He felt a strange twinge of pain and then a headache. It was small and insignificant, but it baffled him beyond comparison.

"Goodbye," said Kakashi from behind.

Vighan turned to the voice, but then there was no voice. There was no fire. There was no forest, no land, no air, and no light. Finally, darkness swallowed up his vision and he collapsed, dead before he even hit the ground.

Kakashi looked down at the shard that had embedded itself in the back of Vighan's head with a sense of finality. Only when he heard, or rather, not heard, Sakura's silence, did he look up at her. When he saw her, he rushed to her.

"Sakura?"

He had safely gotten her out of the way, but even though she had not been struck physically, she looked as if she was dying. She was shaking and pathetic whimpers were coming out of her mouth as she stared beyond him. Fear leapt into his throat and he grabbed her shoulders, gripping her tightly.

"Sakura!"

He shook her and she finally became aware of him. Her eyes connected with his, but he saw nothing. There was nothing of Sakura in them. Only pain. Pain, pain, pain.

She blinked, and her eyes swarmed with tears before she collapsed into Kakashi's arms, sobbing as her grief and guilt overcame her in one wave. And Kakashi held her, just as he should, while Sakura cried out Yuu's name over and over, ash, fire, and blood all around them.

* * *

Hitoshi carried a tray of mugs filled with hot cider into the sitting room of his house. Kakashi was sitting on his couch, his exhaustion clearly visible, especially in his eyes. Thankfully, the pale pallor of his skin had faded into some color now that he was in front of a fire, but there were few things that Hitoshi could do about emotional weariness.

Hitoshi set down the drinks, the mugs clattering softly. "Here, this ought to make you feel a bit better."

Kakashi reached out and took a drink, cupping his hands around the hot ceramic mug. "Thank you, Hitoshi," said Kakashi quietly. He took a sip through his mask and relaxed into the cushions of the couch, letting the miracle cider sweep through his body soothingly.

Hitoshi drank steadily before putting the cup aside. "We want to thank you for protecting the village," said Hitoshi. "Who knows what would have happened if you weren't here?"

Kakashi stared down into his cup resignedly. "I don't think he would have come if we weren't here," spoke Kakashi hesitantly. "It was our duty to get rid of him, seeing that we were the ones who drew him here."

Hitoshi started at the news, but relaxed. "Be that as it may," he said deeply, reaching out and setting his hand on Kakashi's shoulder, "you have our thanks."

Kakashi suddenly had the irrational urge to knock Hitoshi's hand away, but instead he gave him a nod and returned to looking at his drink. There was a small ache in the pit of his stomach and he knew that it was guilt, but he had lived many years and experienced so many things, guilt was easier to handle each time he felt it. However, his thoughts began to drift and the wreckage of River's Bend hovered in his mind's eye.

"Hitoshi," said Kakashi, pausing to make sure he didn't reveal his anxiety, "were there any lives lost?"

Hitoshi was in mid-drink when the question was asked. He turned his head and the mug missed his mouth. Cider dribbled down into his beard and he mumbled a curse. As he moved to mop away the mess with the sleeve of his shirt, he spoke to Kakashi, his words muffled slightly as he tucked his chin into his neck to get a better look at what he was doing.

"No, no deaths," said Hitoshi, not seeing the look of relief that passed fleetingly across Kakashi's features. "Though there was a lot of damage done, and there were a few serious injuries."

"Who was injured?"

"Well, Kira's son had a broken arm and her husband had a nasty gash on his head. I know June is still in bed with a concussion."

A brief vision of the blonde haired girl flashed in his mind. "How did she survive the destruction of the inn?"

Hitoshi had given up trying to clean up his beard and was now rising to go to the kitchen. "She was just outside when it was attacked. She was bonked pretty hard on the noggin but she'll be up in no time. 'Scuze me Kakashi, I need to go and wash this up."

As he departed, Kakashi found himself, once again, alone. It was a welcome feeling as it gave him time to relax. Sipping his cider, he let the days events wash over him slowly, giving him time to consider everything that had occurred.

After two days, Vighan was finally dead and buried somewhere outside of the town. He had considered leaving his body for the wilderness to do away with, but in the end he had given the man at least a proper burial. No one had said anything, and no one wanted to say anything. Just as they did with Vighan, they laid the incident to rest.

Sakura was still upstairs asleep. He had attempted to get a quick peek into the room, but Akame flat out refused, saying the poor girl needed to be left undisturbed. Kakashi couldn't argue. Sakura had faced too much. Physically and mentally, she had to be exhausted.

Kakashi sighed. Atsushi and Yuu, dead? The more he mulled over it, the more the idea became too absurd to grasp. Kakashi only had bits and pieces of the story, but from what Sakura had said, they had died a horrible death, and it was her fault.

Kakashi refrained from glaring and took a large gulp of cider, using the hot drink to burn his anger. It was no more her fault than it was his, and that meant close to nothing. Still, recalling the last meeting with Yuu, his determination to get out and fix things with his family, made him feel slightly uncomfortable. Perhaps he felt bad because Yuu would never be able to heal the relationship between him and his father. A moment more of reminiscing and he decided that that was the source of his discomfort.

Kakashi could deal with his guilt and pain well, but he knew that Sakura would find it much more difficult to confront. He knew that he'd have to convince her that she was not to blame. He also knew that Sakura was very bull-headed, and would fight him every step of the way.

He heard footsteps and looked up. Hitoshi lumbered back to the couch and sat down with a grunt. "Oh, my poor back. I'm too old, Kakashi." Relaxing, he regarded Kakashi curiously. "Something on your mind, friend?"

Kakashi looked back at Hitoshi. His friend held much compassion for him and he knew that, if given the chance, Hitoshi would probably sacrifice his life for his own. He was that kind of man, giving happily without thinking of the consequences. There were few men in the world who were that honest and true. Hitoshi deserved the same amount of respect.

"Hitoshi," said Kakashi after a moment, "there's something I feel I need to tell you."

"Oh?" Hitoshi shifted forward in his seat. "Like what, Kakashi?"

Kakashi set down his cider. If there was anything in his hands, he knew he'd fidget with it, and he wanted all his attention focused on Hitoshi.

"Hitoshi," began Kakashi, "Sakura and I… We are not brother and sister."

Hitoshi's eyebrows shot up. He clearly wasn't expecting this. "What do you mean?" His eyes grew serious. "Does this have something to do with you comin' back lookin' like you were caught in a blender?"

Kakashi shrugged. "In a way, I suppose. Sakura is Haruno Sakura, and I am Hatake Kakashi-"

"Wait," cut in Hitoshi abruptly, his eyes wide. He pointed a finger at Kakashi. "YOU'RE Hatake Kakashi?"

Kakashi blinked. "You… know me?"

"Well, I didn't know what you looked like- well, that's kind of obvious, seeing you were walkin' around here without me noticin' anything- but I did know your name. We're a small town, Kakashi. We don't get much news around here, and frankly, we like it that way. Let everyone else deal with their own problems. But _you, _you're name has drifted along with some of the most excitin' and strangest of stories." Hitoshi leaned back in his chair, looking at Kakashi in an entirely different light. He shook his head in amazement. "Wow. I'm friends with Hatake Kakashi."

Kakashi didn't know whether to be pleased or embarrassed but either way he was very uncomfortable. He knew that he had some ounce of fame behind his name, but this… Hitoshi looked like he had been touched by an omnipotent being.

"I think you're blowing this a little out of proportion," said Kakashi, disturbed. He looked around the room. Did it suddenly get hotter?

Hitoshi looked at his friend and immediately knew Kakashi was feeling very awkward, so he relaxed. He coughed, trying to ease the tension. "I'm sorry, Kakashi," said Hitoshi, "it's just that the stories _are_ pretty excitin'. Forgive this old man for actin' like a toddler." He grinned sheepishly.

Kakashi nodded, although he was still slightly uneasy. He wondered if he would ever be able to go through a town without anyone pointing a finger and revealing him to the whole world.

"So," said Hitoshi, directing the conversation elsewhere, "why did you come back as you did, all battered and whatnot?"

Hitoshi watched as Kakashi's eyes darkened and his fist clenched tightly. "That is harder to explain."

Hitoshi leaned back. "I have time."

There was a long, drawn out silence as Kakashi gathered his thoughts. He leaned forward, picked up his mug, drank from it, before cupping it in his hands.

"We were on a mission," he began quietly. "We were sent to Unon. I cannot tell you the specifics, but needless to say something went wrong and we were caught…"

By the time Kakashi's story was done being told, it was late into the night and their mugs had been drained and refilled more than twice. Even then, Kakashi was finishing off the rest of his cider as he waited for Hitoshi to recover from his horror.

"Kakashi," he gasped, shaking his head back and forth, as if he were in a daze, "that's… I'm so sorry."

"That's the life of a shinobi," said Kakashi, feeling oddly relaxed. It seemed that recalling the tale to his friend eased some of the pain of the experience. It was therapeutic. "We came into this lifestyle knowing the dangers. It comes with the job."

"Yeah," blurted Hitoshi, aghast, "but this is… is inhumane! I'm surprised you aren't in bed right now. In fact," exclaimed Hitoshi, slamming down his mug and standing up to his full height, "why _aren't_ you in bed? You're crazy if you're walking around after all that. Go to bed, man! Now I feel bad after keeping you up this late."

Kakashi repressed the urge to sigh and roll his eyes. "Hitoshi," he said evenly, "I have gone through much more than this. I will admit this is high on my list of bad experiences, but I would like to say I am used to being worn out."

Hitoshi snorted. "That's supposed to be a good thing? No one should be 'used to' being knocked around, stretched, pulled, and poked until you've been tenderized into mush." Hitoshi frowned at Kakashi. "You are my friend, but I must demand that you get some sleep."

Kakashi suddenly felt like he was five again, which was not a welcome feeling. "Hitoshi, this is ridiculous-"

"Kakashi," said Hitoshi softly, but not losing any of his determination, "if you aren't going to do it for yourself, at least get some shuteye to ease this old heart of mine."

Hitoshi's worry bore into Kakashi easily and began eating away at his resolve in record time. It was no surprise he gave in, what with the pathetic look his friend was giving him. It looked oddly out of place on the bear-like man's face.

"Alright," said Kakashi with a sigh of surrender, "you win."

Hitoshi's serious look split into a victorious grin. "There's an extra bed in the room next to Sakura's-" Hitoshi stopped, suddenly going very quiet.

Kakashi's own breathing hitched and he froze, already knowing what was going through Hitoshi's mind. He felt as if he could hear the ticking of Hitoshi's brain as it worked through the facts and then, the final ding went off and Hitoshi gasped.

"Kakashi," said Hitoshi awkwardly, making Kakashi feel even more uncomfortable, "are you and… Well, that is to say, you and…" He sighed. "I'm trying my best here, Kakashi, but I don't think I can ask this without embarassin' ya."

Silence.

"Then don't ask it," said Kakashi quietly before going up the stairs.

It wasn't anyone else's business; it was his and Sakura's, and only theirs. Everyone else could keep their big noses out of their matters. Besides, what he and Sakura had was private, and needed to only be shared as such, and it was not as if that was a bad thing. In fact, he felt that it made the relationship all the more intimate in an almost sacred way. Why spoil a good thing by declaring it to the world?

As he moved to go to his room, he suddenly found himself veering off course, and before he knew what he was even doing, he was in front of Sakura's door, staring at the wood panel as if he was trying to see straight through. He wanted to see her.

No, he didn't _want_ to see her, he _needed _to see her.

Ever so slowly, he opened the door, peering inside. His silhouette cast a shadow over Sakura's sleeping form, so he moved aside so he could see her better. The light hit her face and she mumbled in her sleep, turning under her covers and away from the doorway, only quieting when her back was to him.

Kakashi waited a moment, making sure she was fully asleep once more before he carefully made his way into her room. He stepped only just inside before he leaned back against the wall, quietly finding a place to stand. He watched her, letting her appearance wash over him.

For some reason, just looking at her made him feel oddly at peace. She did, however, appear very worn out, even as she slumbered away. Still, seeing her soothed him.

He began to wonder what it would be like to have a life with her. It had to be an adventure. She was too full of life and spirit for it to be anything but dull. And there was bound to be lots of bickering. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he liked fighting with her. It was quickly growing to be a hobby of his. He wondered what it would be like waking up next to her every morning, or every time he came home, he would see her. The more he thought about it, the more intense his emotions became and suddenly he wished Sakura was awake so he could kiss her.

Her back had suddenly straightened, and her shoulders had become tense. Suddenly, Sakura began to whimper in her sleep, her hands clutching onto the edge of her blanket tightly.

"Yuu," she whined, her feet kicking slightly, "no…"

Kakashi was immediately at her side. He placed his hand on her forehead and spoke her name softly. Almost instantaneously Sakura's nightmare had passed and her face smoothed out, although her foot still twitched and her body was still taut.

Kakashi sat there, bent over Sakura, whispering soothing words and petting her head as he waited for her to relax. When he felt her muscles loosen and her breathing had become even, he pulled back.

"Kakashi," she sighed suddenly, tucking her head deeper into the blankets before returning to deep slumber.

Kakashi felt a small smile on his lips as he bent down and lightly brushed his mouth against the top of her forehead. "Goodnight, Sakura," he whispered before slowly getting up and exiting the room. He went into his room and got into bed, the knowledge of him being the balm of Sakura's dreams tucking him in warmth as he drifted off.

* * *

When Kakashi woke up, it was well into the afternoon. The clouds had finally broken, if only for a while. The crisp beams of the winter sun flittered through the window and cast a healthy shine throughout the room, hitting the sleeping nin and waking him slowly.

"Ngh." He may have been awake, but he wasn't so sure he was ready to get out of bed. He was far too comfortable. Why interrupt such a good thing? It had to be a crime, and if it wasn't, it should be instated as one. Still, he opened his eyes and slowly waited to wake up, stretching his muscles and letting out a tremendous yawn, even louder in the quiet room.

"I'd better get up," he murmured, and yet he still didn't move. It was almost amazing that even though his mind was prepared to go, his body disagreed.

"I'd better get up," he repeated, watching and waiting to see if he would move. Oddly enough, nothing happened.

"Then I have no choice but to stay here," he said to himself, ignoring the small jump of glee he felt as he nestled under the covers to block out the sun and fell back asleep.

He didn't sleep for long, perhaps an hour, when he woke back up and actually got out of bed, although if he had the chance he would have fallen back asleep. The smell of cooking food had driven him out from underneath his covers before he could even consider drifting off. His stomach was in control and Kakashi happily let it lead him down the stairs.

Two steps down and Hitoshi already greeted him with a healthy, "Good afternoon, sleepyhead!" The big man was munching on dumpling, too content and happy to notice that he was making a mess of himself all over his beard. "Akane has just whipped up some amazing dumplings and seared fish. You better grab yourself a bite before I eat it all."

Kakashi attempted to stile another yawn, but it was too big and couldn't hold back. He scratched his scalp and looked around the room. "Is Sakura up yet?" he asked, too sleepy still to care if he sounded interested or not.

"Well…"

Kakashi heard the regretful tone in Hitoshi's voice and sighed. "She was up, wasn't she?"

"To be honest with you, she was, and she wanted to see you too, but you were out like a light, my friend. No amount of knockin' stirred you, not one bit. But she was only up for a little bit just to get a little food in her and she was off to bed again. She's been asleep for a while now. I think she should wake up again soon."

Kakashi tried to remember if his sleep had at all been disturbed, but as far as he knew, he had slept the entire time, not counting his brief wakening.

"How long have I been out?"

"A day an' a half," said Hitoshi deeply, almost concernedly. "You know, I was right in the end. Sleep did you good, Kakashi. You look loads more healthy." He chuckled. "An' you said you didn't need any."

Kakashi cast him an irked look before making his way into the kitchen. Akane was frying up more fish when he entered. The beautiful, boisterous woman turned around and gave him a sweet smile.

"Good to see you looking healthy," said Akane, grabbing a dumpling and passing it to Kakashi. "Eat this, and you'll feel even better."

Kakashi took the food with a thankful nod and didn't hesitate to slide off his mask and take a large bite out of it. He chewed contentedly, not really savoring the taste even though he knew it was good. At that moment, he could have been eating wood. It didn't really matter to him as long as something was being fed to his stomach.

Akane was flipping a slice of bass on her fryer, turning it every which way even though it was clearly done cooking. Any chef would know that overcook fish was useless fish, yet she continued anyway. She appeared to simply be wasting time, and it took Kakashi a moment to realize that every so often, Akane would glance at him out of the corner of her eye.

Kakashi wasn't sure what Akane was thinking, but he continued to play the part of the oblivious one and finished off his dumpling, pretending to let the food sit. Actually, he was just waiting for Akane to speak. The fish would eventually shrivel up and crumble and then the woman would have no choice but to speak to him.

Eventually, that same thing happened and as Akane cursed and angrily threw the fish away, Kakashi knew that the game had reached an end.

"Well, Akane?"

Akane turned, wielding the frying pan defensively. "Well what?"

"Don't play innocent with me."

Akane almost wanted to keep the game going, but she had been found out, and put the pan down in a gesture of surrender. "Kakashi," she said carefully, "Hitoshi told me about you and Sakura."

Kakashi's leg muscles instinctively grew tight as his whole body pleaded to move and flee, but for some strange and almost annoying reason, he stayed put, even as Akane went to sit by him.

Akane knew already without even having to talk to him what Kakashi was thinking and she gently placed a hand on his shoulder to try and calm him. "I'm not going to pluck out your eyes and eat them," she said teasingly, "I'm just going to talk to you."

Kakashi sighed. "I am a man, Akane," he said with sardonic humor, "and as a man, you must know that we detest talking about our emotions." He raised an eyebrow. "That _is _the stereotype you women always pin us for, isn't it?"

Akane blinked at him before bursting out into laughter. It eased the tension between them, at least giving off the illusion that their next topic wasn't going to be that awkward.

"You've got me there. But seriously now." Akane looked at him carefully, yet kindly. "We both have Sakura's best interests in mind, don't we?"

Kakashi groaned. Almost. "Akane, I do not know what you and Hitoshi have been talking about, but whatever it is, kindly leave Sakura and I out of it."

"Kakashi," said Akane, slightly hurt, "we only want to help."

"And for that, I give you thanks. However, your help is not needed, even if it is being offered with good intentions." Kakashi wasn't in the mood to explain things, but the look on Akane's face left him no other choice. He respected and liked the woman too much.

"Our matters are our own and need to be treated as such. Although," he trailed off with a feeble sigh, "if you are really that fascinated with our affairs, I'm sure Sakura will talk about them with you anyway, despite whatever I say."

Akane grinned at the helpless look in Kakashi's eyes and she almost began laughing, but she kept her laughter in check and instead pat Kakashi's knee.

"Then all I have to say is good luck."

Kakashi did not make any sort of reply, so Akane simply stood up and swept back over to her place by the stove and began cooking as if nothing had ever happened, and for that, Kakashi gave the woman endless thanks. If there were more people in the world like her, it would make his life much, much easier.

Kakashi's stomach growled and he realized he was still hungry. Not bothering to ask, he snatched up another dumpling and carried it out of the kitchen, eating as he walked. He spotted Hitoshi sitting down at a nearby desk, his jaw moving up and down as he chewed his own food, but his eyes were intensely reading a scroll underneath his burly arms. As he took another bite from his food, Hitoshi reached for a pen and quickly began writing a reply to whatever it was he was reading.

It took Kakashi a second to realize that he was leaning over towards where Hitoshi was working, trying to see what was up. Quickly he straightened and moved farther back in the room, eating his food and pretending as if he had never done what he did.

Hitoshi wrote some more before he suddenly put down his pen and let out a tremendous sigh. He rubbed his temples as he stood up from his chair, the wood creaking a sigh of relief.

"I hate this part of the job," said Hitoshi with a grumble, casting an angry look towards the papers. He glanced over at Kakashi who he had just realized was there.

"Squabbles and the like," explained Hitoshi with a wave of his hand. "No use in getting' into the details. They're just a bunch of chickens runnin' around with their heads cut off."

"Sounds like fun," said Kakashi offhandedly, glad that Hitoshi wasn't going to complain to him about town issues.

Hitoshi grumbled some more and plopped down on the couch, the old furniture groaning as it bent under the man's weight. "Oh yeah, I love it. Loads of fun." Hitoshi snorted.

Seeing Hitoshi at work suddenly reminded Kakashi that he needed to plan his and Sakura's departure.

"Hitoshi," said Kakashi, startling the big man from his inward complaints, "I think Sakura and I will be leaving here soon."

"Oh? A specific time?"

"A day, I believe."

"A day? Kakashi, you aren't serious. You need rest."

"And we will have plenty of time to do that once we return home," said Kakashi smoothly, ignoring Hitoshi's protest. "You do not understand; we need to get back as soon as possible. We must let the Hokage know what has occurred. Remember, we are still on our mission. Our enemies may be dead, but our job is not yet complete."

Hitoshi nodded in submission. "I'm sorry, Kakashi," said Hitoshi, the tops of his cheeks reddening, "it's just that I worry about ya is all. I just want ya to be at your best."

"I appreciate your concern," said Kakashi, bowing his head slightly, "but we will be fine."

Hitoshi grunted and got to his feet. "Well then, I suppose you'll be needin' to be gettin' supplies?"

"Yes," said Kakashi, "we will, and that is where I must ask you a favor."

Hitoshi smiled and came over and clapped Kakashi on the back. "No need to ask, my friend. You are heroes here; whatever you need, we will provide."

"Thank you."

"No thanks needed. When do you think you'll be wantin' to do the shoppin'?"

"Just as soon as Sakura wakes up," said Kakashi, unconsciously looking towards where Sakura's room was above.

"Well then, you should go up there and see if she's awake then. You don't want to waste too much time, do ya?"

No, he didn't, and going to see Sakura sounded like a good idea. So, he left Hitoshi and went up the stairs. He arrived at her door and carefully listened, trying to hear something within. He didn't hear anything, so he knocked.

A very weak, very hoarse voice answered him.

"Who is it?"

Kakashi stared at the door. Did that voice just come from Sakura, or was he imagining things? It couldn't have possibly been her. It was too cracked and it held so much sorrow. There was no way.

"It's Kakashi," he replied, a little unsure of what lied beyond the door.

"Come in."

There it was again, that same broken voice, and for a moment, Kakashi didn't want to open the door, but he did anyway. He stepped inside, closed the door behind him, and looked over to where Sakura was the night before.

Oh, she was a disaster. Her eyes were red and puffy from tears, her face was splotchy, her clothes were rumpled and dirty, and all sorts of tissues were scattered around her in little snot clumps. He had not seen a more pathetic sight than this in a very long time.

_Day one…_

* * *

Sakura had woken up crying.

She had been dreaming of the night she and Yuu had danced. He had looked so handsome that night and so filled with life. The music had been beautiful and she had felt so much love for him, and as the dream progressed, the night only seemed to grow in it's wonder.

Then, a dark cloud had descended upon them, dousing the paper lanterns and shrouding the area in darkness. Everyone around them had no time to scream before they suddenly disappeared, eaten by the shadows. She reached for Yuu, trying to stop him from leaving her as well, but he was being pulled away, absorbed into the endless abyss that was condensing around them. She tried so hard to keep her hold on his hand, but she was not strong enough. His fingers slipped from hers and he disappeared, his handsome face fading away, gone forever. Soon, she was alone, and her anguish was so strong, it stifled the fear she felt when the darkness swallowed her up as well.

She was now sitting up in bed, clutching onto the blankets, her cheeks wet with tears. She was shaking, but she didn't notice. All she could feel was the cold sensation of total darkness. It had been like death, but there was no life afterwards. There was nothing. Absolutely nothing. The feeling of being totally alone had been more frightening than anything.

Sakura brought the covers up higher, recalling the look of sorrow Yuu had given her just before he had disappeared. It had struck a chord deep within her so strongly, it snapped and she began to cry, fisting her hands in her hair and curling in on herself, trying to disappear.

Eventually, she stopped crying, but she still sat there, her head tucked behind her knees. She was staring into the darkness, trying to see if she could draw Yuu from it with the power of her mind. She tried for minutes, and then hours, simply staring, unable to do anything else. She was numb, and a part of her that was still alive was deathly afraid of how separate from the world she was.

_What's wrong with me? _whispered a horrified voice in her mind. _Why can't I feel?_

_Because, _answered an impassioned voice, _if you did, all you would feel is pain. You aren't strong enough to face it._

Being told- even if it was by herself- she wasn't strong enough made her instinctually rebel. _I am too strong enough! _she argued, and let herself feel.

Memories washed over her. Yuu smiling, Yuu guiding her through the town, Yuu laughing at her, Yuu telling her how beautiful she looked, Yuu leading her to the dancefloor, Yuu setting her free. More and more memories, each one stacking up on each other, becoming so intense that her soul shook and she realized with stark fear she _wasn't_ strong enough. She was weak, and when she remembered the dream, his sorrow filled her and she eventually began to cry again.

She cried for a long time before she grew quiet, only small tears falling down the corners of her eyes each time she blinked. Why was she so stupid? She had to be insane, just had to be. There was no other explanation as to the reason why she decided to let herself experience this amount of anguish. She wondered if, at that very moment, it was eating her insides. Would she eventually disintegrate? It wouldn't surprise her.

_A fitting end for me._

There was a knock at her door, shocking her to awareness. She sat up quickly.

"Who is it?"

When she spoke, she realized that her throat was extremely sore. Lightly, she touched the skin of her neck. How long had she been crying?

"It's Kakashi," came the reply, and when she heard his voice, it was as if a cool cloth had suddenly been set across her soul, soothing her. It was a startling reaction, but after feeling so crummy for such an extended amount of time, she opened the feeling with open arms.

"Come in."

He entered and closed the door behind him. Then, he turned to her and stared. Not looked- stared. She knew that other people would just think him to be simply observing, nothing more, but she knew that there was more to his gaze. The slight widening of his eyes, the slow breath- the proof was there.

Sakura sniffled, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. She looked down at the tissues around her and swept them to the ground, treating them as if they were meant to burn her. She reached for a washcloth nearby and pat her face with it, looking away.

"I haven't been able to wash up," she admitted with a shameful mumble, sniffing when she felt more tears begin to well up. "I know I must look like a wreck."

Kakashi was silent and she anticipated the part where he said, "Oh yes, you are most definitely a wreck." Instead, he moved over to her and slowly sat down on the bed, brushing away a rogue tissue to the ground. Seeing him do that, she had the irrational urge to begin crying again and as she mumbled and fumbled blindly for a nearby kerchief, she did not see Kakashi silently reach out and take hold of the tissue box that had hidden itself amongst the depths of Sakura's blankets behind her.

Gently, he touched her shoulder and she looked up, startled. He offered out the tissues, Sakura staring at them as if she had never seen them before.

He waited, and waited, and waited some more, and it finally took Sakura a full minute to realize she needed to take a tissue if things were ever going to progress. So, she gingerly pulled one from the box and sheepishly began to dab at the end of her nose.

"Thanks."

Kakashi watched her for a moment more, and then said, "It's not your fault."

Sakura stopped wiping her nose and became very still. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice so quiet that she could barely hear it.

"You know exactly what I mean," said Kakashi, pinning her with a look. "Yuu and Atsushi's deaths were not your fault and," he added when he saw Sakura's mouth already twist to argue with him, "it is immature of you to think otherwise."

Sakura flushed red, but she wasn't about to let him tell her what she could and could not feel. "It is not your decision to make me feel what I am supposed to feel, so I'll kindly thank you to not tell me what to do." Huffily, she took another tissue and began wiping her nose again, even though the tears had stopped.

Kakashi simply watched her, didn't speak or make a move. When Sakura got tired of being stared at, she glared at him.

"What?"

Kakashi stared at her for a moment more before shrugging and standing up, the small act making her feel a slight sense of loss. "Nothing. However, I think you would like to know that we are leaving tomorrow to return to Konoha."

The sudden thought of returning home filled her with so much happiness, she almost forgot that she was exhausted and was not even close to wanting to travel. Home had been a thought that was so distant to her, it had almost been forgotten. Now, it was in the forefront of her mind, and all she felt like doing was crying with relief.

"What time tomorrow? Please don't tell me we're leaving before the crack of dawn again."

"No," said Kakashi, humor laced in his voice, "we are not. I think mid morning will be just as good. This means we must get our shopping done before the end of today, which happens to be only a couple more hours. So, if you could, please get ready so we can go out and get supplies."

Already plans were being unfolded, and the last leg of their journey was before them, still out of reach but tantalizingly close. Kakashi was back into mission mode and Sakura instinctively obeyed.

She nodded. "Yeah, sure, I will."

"Good. Then I will be waiting for you downstairs." Kakashi gave her one last look before he turned around and left, shutting the door quietly behind him, leaving an odd emptiness in the room that almost refused to be filled.

It was only until he had left that Sakura realized she had completely forgotten about being guilty and sad, and when she did, she felt some sorrow return, but she didn't really feel like crying anymore.

--

A/N:

First and foremost, a lifetime supply of cookies and hugs goes to my fantabulistic, amazingful, wondermastic beta, IcarusT. She is the only reason why you are reading this right now. Icarus, there are no real words that describe your awesomness.

Secondly, I would like to thank UnexpectedDamage. Our brainstorming sessions work wonders when it comes to me and writer's block.

Alright readers, if you are unaware we are looking at about two, maybe three more chapters and an epilogue, and then this story is done. I'm going to try and get a chapter out by the one-year anniversary of FIAV just for you, so look forward to that.

And, as always, thanks for reading.


	18. A Long Time Coming

A/N: At the bottom.

* * *

As Sakura stood and stretched, her arms reaching far above her head, she realized quite suddenly that she stank to high heaven. Mind reeling from the smell, she quickly lowered her arms and peeled off of her clothes. Taking the washcloth, she dipped it into the basin of water Akane had provided for her earlier and began to wash.

"I spent so much time crying, I didn't even bother with my personal care," mumbled Sakura, amazed that she had let herself drop to such a sorry state. She did have a reason though, and it was because she was mourning. Yuu had been her friend, and to lose him was to lose a part of herself. It was painful.

"And it was my fault," whispered Sakura harshly to herself, scrubbing harder.

Even though Kakashi had said she had no reason to be guilty, she couldn't believe him. Or, perhaps, she chose not to believe. For some perverse reason, she enjoyed keeping Yuu's death fresh through her guilt. It made it so that she could never forget his wonderful face and contagious personality, no matter how hard she tried. The memory was so alive and so vibrant in her guilt, it almost seemed as if he was still alive.

Sakura was now staring at the bowl of water sitting in front of her with an emotionless gaze. She had to be going crazy. There was no other reason for such irrational behavior and thoughts. Was she really so wracked with sorrow that she had to continue spinning stories around herself to ease the pain? She couldn't help it, though. She couldn't face it. It was too sad, too hurtful.

"I'm sorry, Yuu," whispered Sakura, not even sure why she was apologizing.

He had so much potential, and now it was gone. Poof! and there went all of the wonderful possibilities. Death was a cruel mistress, and Sakura hated her bitterly.

"It's not fair," whispered Sakura angrily as she threw the rag into the washbowl, ignoring the water that splashed onto the floor and up the wall. "It wasn't his time!"

The more she thought about what was taken away from Yuu, the angrier she became until she was frothing with fury, her guilt being burned away into forgotten ashes. No, her attention was focused on another.

Vighan. It was _his _fault. The evil bastard, the disgusting monster. How _dare _he take Yuu away? He wasn't even worthy enough to look upon such a noble face as Yuu's, and to kill him was a sin above sins.

She hated Vighan more than ever, and it took all that she had not to take Akane's precious porcelain bowl and smash it against the wall in anger. Instead, she took the pillow from the bed, pushed her face into it, and half screamed, half cried at the top of her lungs. And then her screams melted into sobs as she slowly sank to the floor and began to cry for Yuu.

"I miss you, Yuu, I miss you. It's not fair that you're gone. I wish I could do something, anything! But Vighan's already dead."

Vighan _was _dead, and Sakura realized that his death was not fitting enough a punishment for what he had done. She pulled her head back and angrily beat at the pillow, imagining it was Vighan's ugly head.

"I wish you were alive just so I could kill you again!" She hit and punched and pulled and stretched at the pillow until it was a rumpled, abused mess. And then she threw it across the room, glaring at it as it hit the wall and slumped to the ground.

She sat there for a moment, just staring at the pillow. Oddly enough, the longer she sat there, simply staring, the better she began to feel. Beating the feathers out of the pillow had been therapeutic. And as she stood up to fetch the poor pillow, she knew that she was going to be alright.

"Sorry," she said with an apologetic smile to the pillow. "Thanks, though. I needed that."

The pillow remained silent, though if it had a voice, it would most likely be moaning in agony. Sakura silently thanked that it didn't have a mind and mouth of its own and began to fluff it back up into some semblance of its former shape. Gently, as if she was treating a patient who had just been bandaged, she put the pillow back down on the bed. Then, she looked over to where she had made a mess with the water and picked up the rag and began to wipe everything dry.

After she finished, she gingerly dropped the washcloth into the bowl as to not make another mess she would have to clean up. Crossing her arms, she closed her eyes and stood in the silence of the room, letting the peace and quiet settle over her like a comforting blanket. The stress that had once belonged to her began to dissipate into nothingness, and when the last painful shred of guilt wavered and faded away, she let out a long, deep, healing sigh that aired out her soul and left it fresh and clean, just like the room was now after she had let out her anger and sadness through therapeutic violence.

Opening her eyes, she took a deep breath and let it out once more before stretching her body, easing her aches and pains.

"I should do this more often," said Sakura, and if the pillow could talk, it would have begun to cry.

A chime went off somewhere in a different room, declaring the hour. Quickly glancing over at her own clock hanging on the wall, she nearly toppled over when she saw that it was already four in the afternoon.

"Oh crap! I'm gonna be late!"

She moved quickly, but as she rushed she was terribly clumsy and she had seemed to lose all sense of direction and intelligence. She had no idea where she had put her extra shirt and as she flung through piles of blankets and sheets, she did not see it hanging over the edge of her bed, quietly waiting for her to pick it up.

Eventually she did find it (it had hidden itself under the blankets Sakura had tossed in her feverish search) and as she pulled it over her head, she was already looking around for a decent pair of warm pants. Spotting them on the far side of the room, she scooted over to where they were and kicked her feet into the legs, stumbling and spinning around as she pulled them up to her waist.

Unfortunately for her, as she struggled to get her arm through it's sleeve and turn her pants around- which she had so lovingly put on backwards- she didn't see the edge of the dresser. She turned, and her foot collided with the corner, freezing her on the spot.

She stood unmoving, her arms still stretched awkwardly over her head, and her shirt in a tangle. Then, the pain registered and she howled, grabbing onto her throbbing pinky toe and hopping around, hissing and throwing curses. Her unbuttoned pants fell down to her knees and locked her in mid hop, sending her falling to the ground in a most disappointing display for a ninja.

* * *

From down below stood Hitoshi and Kakashi, the former watching the clock with exasperation. As each minute ticked by, Hitoshi made sure to put a little more space in between him and Kakashi. The frustration was coming off of the jonin in waves.

"I'm sure she's coming," said Hitoshi in a pathetic effort to ease Kakashi.

Kakashi still glared at the clock, watching as the second hand ticked on by, to the ten, to the eleven. On the twelve, Kakashi began tapping his finger on his arm, sighing.

_What is taking her so long?_

He began to move to go and fetch her, anxious to leave, when he heard noises from above. He stopped, curiously looking at the ceiling, the lamp above flickering from movement.

"Eh?" Hitoshi was looking up as well, watching the small hanging light jiggle. "What's goin' on up there?"

"I don't know-"

There was a thump, and a muffled scream came from above followed by continuous bumps of noise. Then, there was a vibrating crash, causing the lamp to shake wildly above.

Hitoshi had flinched at each sound and was now recovering from the last one. Glancing over at Kakashi, both of them shared a moment of confusion followed by discreet curiosity.

"What's she doin' up there?" asked Hitoshi, now listening as the sounds continued, albeit each step Sakura took sounded like a limp.

"I'm not sure," answered Kakashi after a moment. He did, however, think that whatever she was doing, if he had seen, he guessed he would have burst out with laughter.

_Hmm…_

Hitoshi looked over, unable to describe the new look that was in his friend's eye. "Kakashi?"

Kakashi didn't answer. Instead, he stood there for a moment more, watching the lamp move slightly with each new step, before he departed, quietly going up the stairs. Hitoshi watched him leave, finally having an inkling as to what was most likely going through Kakashi's mind.

* * *

Her pride almost hurt more than her toe. Almost. Sakura cast her offending pinky toe a scathing glare before she continued her so far disastrous chore of getting ready for the day. She didn't dare begin to think of what the rest of her day was going to be like.

"Did I break a mirror? Is there a black cat in this house I'm not aware of?" Sakura grumbled to herself as she angrily shifted through the mess of blankets she had made. "Whatever it is, it's crap and I hate it."

Sakura exclaimed a cry of victory, and pulled out a pair of socks from the mess. She grinned happily, the small beacon of hope that her day wasn't going to be that bad shinning brightly.

"I'm not going to let some stupid bad luck ruin my day!" she declared with a puff of her chest, which was odd to see on her when she was wearing her shirt like a necklace and her pants threatened to fall off completely.

Quickly, she set about properly dressing, pulling her shirt over her head and buttoning her pants. She unfolded her socks and hopped on one foot, trying to pull it on. Unfortunately, she began to have more issues and kept missing.

"Work with me here!" she huffed, balancing precariously on her injured foot. As she began to tip, she quickly hopped to the side to readjust.

One misplaced step and she slipped, flying into the air and landing on her back, knocking the wind out of her. She wheezed, one sock on her foot and the other on her head. As she gathered her breath, she struggled to sit up, quickly put the sock on, and collapsed back onto the ground, aching all over.

"I'm either getting too old or there is something wrong with me."

"You're tired," said Kakashi, suddenly in the room and looking at Sakura with controlled laughter.

Sakura managed to look up at her offender, and when she saw him, she had the decency to be embarrassed beyond words. She was, however, simply too tired to care, so she resigned to lie on her back and let him laugh at her as much as he wanted.

"Go ahead," she said with a tired wave of her hand, "go ahead and laugh while I ache and bruise because I'm an idiot. Although I should count my blessings that only _you _saw that. If Naruto was here…" She could not stop herself from shuddering at the thought of him tormenting her for the rest of her days.

She could have sworn she heard Kakashi choke back a chuckle, but the laughter never came. Instead- and Sakura was surprised beyond words- Kakashi came over knelt down next to her. He gave her a look, one that did reveal he was laughing at her inwardly, before he reached out and sat her up.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice laced with humor.

Sakura wasn't sure what to do: kill him or kiss him. Either option sounded tempting. In the end, she gave up and did nothing. Her head hurt too much to care.

"Yes, I'm fine, although my pride is in tatters." She looked sadly around her at the invisible shreds of her dignity, knowing full well that there was no way she was going to be able to repair it. She looked back up to him, and saw that he had been staring at her. So, she returned the stare, curious.

"Hm?"

Kakashi stared at her for a moment more before pulling Sakura to her feet. She wavered for a moment, and she felt with a fluttering sense of joy that he was there to support her when she stumbled. She regained her steps after the blood rush faded and her world stopped spinning. She let out a long, low sigh and held a hand to her head, feeling her embarrassment slowly return.

"I don't think I've ever been this pathetic before."

"Just what exactly made you act like this?" asked Kakashi, not hiding his puzzlement. "For you, this is… rather shameful."

Sakura blushed again, and she had to look away from him, his forwardness not only attacking her pride, but the small, fleshy muscle of her heart. "I…" she started with a stutter, feeling even stupider. "I… didn't want to be late," she finished lamely, casting a sheepish look his way. "I guess that plan didn't work out too well, did it?"

Kakashi looked at her strangely, a hidden emotion in his eyes that made Sakura confused. She instinctively became defensive at his silence and grew offended.

"There's no need to look at me like I'm sick in the head," she huffed, "so I'll thank you to stop staring at me like that."

Sakura's words seemed to have an effect on him, and he suddenly frowned at her. "Is that what you think?"

Sakura faltered and she grew uncomfortable, dodging Kakashi's now stern gaze. "Well, I just assumed…" She trailed off, a memory niggling at the back of her brain before burrowing it's way into the forefront of her mind. With a guilty slump of her shoulders, she peered up through her eyebrows. If she had been a dog, her ears would be low with shame.

"I wouldn't… happen to be 'jumping the gun' again, would I?"

"I'm glad to see you're learning," said Kakashi, his voice slightly bitter. His annoyance, however, did pass and he set a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He did not say anything, and he didn't have to. Sakura could feel that she had been forgiven.

"I'm sorry," she said anyway.

She could see that Kakashi was having issues with stopping himself from sighing in exasperation. She gave him a timid grin, and that was when he did sigh before letting go of Sakura.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked once again.

She nodded. "Of course I am." She straightened her back and lifted her chin at him, daring him to contradict her. It was nearly comical, seeing a rather slim girl take on a not-so-slim and rather strong-and-tall man who clearly had the distinct advantage of height.

Stranger still, the girl won.

Kakashi shook his head slightly, and Sakura grinned in victory. With a wave of his hand, he asked her to hurry up and get dressed- adding quickly that she be _careful _that time- and left the room. When he left, Sakura quickly set about to finishing getting ready. After sliding on her boots and throwing on her coat, she quickly swept out of the room, returning only briefly to flip off the lights.

* * *

It was cold, almost too cold. Sakura wrapped her scarf tightly around her, sniffing as the bitter winter weather bit her nose. She glanced over at Kakashi, frowning with jealousy and irritation when she saw him look unfazed by the sharp winds that threatened to freeze her through and through. Then again, he was a rather strong nin and she shouldn't be surprised, especially after all they had been through.

Briefly she felt a pang of fear in her heart followed by the remains of an insane cackle that still haunted her dreams. She shivered and drew her coat closer to her; she would always carry those dark, frightening memories with her until she died. Through time and patience would it be easier to bear, but her scars… they would be permanent reminders she would never ignore, even if she wanted to.

A particularly frosty wind whipped sideways and then turned around and blew her right in her face. It burned her skin and she took in a sharp breath. Immediately, pain flashed in her chest and she choked, halting in her steps.

Kakashi sensed the trouble at once and turned around. "Sakura?" He approached her as her breathing started to return to normal. His eyes narrowed when he saw the echoes of pain flee from her face and he was once again reminded of what June had said earlier.

_She hadn't let June heal her…_

"Sakura."

Sakura let in another hesitant breath before deciding that the pain had passed. She straightened slowly only to nearly bump noses with Kakashi who was leaning over her and pinning her with an almost hostile look. Almost instantly the instinct to flee danced in her legs. She gave him a nervous grin followed by a pathetic laugh.

"Ah- yes, Kakashi?"

Kakashi was unfazed. "There's something wrong with you."

"Well, that is just _rude. _There is most certainly _nothing _wrong with me."

"Really? Tell me that while looking at me."

"Fine. There's nothing wrong with me."

"Don't look at my ear. Look at _me."_

Sakura flinched and slowly she met his eyes. They regarded each other silently, each staring the other down as the world continued on without them. Kakashi's resolve was strong; he wouldn't let her get away so easily.

"Sakura, I'm waiting."

"I _know," _she said, irritated, but then the moment passed and her resolve broke. Her mouth opened, but all that came out was a sputtered breath. Another brief second and she still couldn't form the words. Her eyes flickered away and she stared down at the ground guiltily. She could feel his quiet satisfaction without even having to look.

"You need June to go and look at you, Sakura."

"She can't help me," said Sakura, looking back up at him, no longer held back by lies. "The only one that can help me is Tsunade." She walked past him and towards the shops. "The sooner we get this shopping done, the sooner we leave, and the sooner we leave, the sooner we can _both _get proper medical treatment."

Kakashi was already following her, but this new information made him slightly unsettled. "How bad is it?"

"Bad enough," grumbled Sakura, not really enjoying the fact she was admitting the same exact thing she had been trying to deny since she had received the injury. She sounded angry and a part of her felt that anger as well, but the worst part of it all was the fear that nestled itself right on top of the strange wound inside her chest. Just like any other human being, she preferred not to address the monster in the closet or the demon under the bed. Denying it was so much easier.

"Sakura." Kakashi was not deterred. "A proper answer would speed things along a lot nicer."

She stuck her lip out at him; denial apparently wasn't his thing. "I already told you. It's bad enough. Just let me deal with it, okay? I _am _the medic nin."

Kakashi stopped and Sakura stumbled to a halt, eyes narrowing slightly with confusion.

"What?"

Kakashi quietly stared at Sakura, his thoughts drifting to and fro in the dark secret parts of his mind. Sakura remembered similar moments like these and they were created on both their parts. She crossed her arms.

"Are you trying to dissect my mind with your eyes?"

"No," he said, "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

A short moment, and then he shrugged and they began to walk once more. "I think I may be rubbing off of you."

Sakura snorted. "You think? We've only been together for nearly a year."

Kakashi had the decency to chuckle. "You have a point there."

"What made you think of this all of a sudden?"

Kakashi shrugged again. "Your words. Always trying to avoid the inevitable. I've been told that so many times." He chuckled again as his words made Sakura eyes widen with realization and fear.

"W-wait, Kakashi, hold on! I-I don't-!"

He moved too quickly. He appeared behind her, grabbed her arms, and slowly he forced her to the ground, Sakura straining as she tried to fight his strong grip.

"Now," said Kakashi again, his voice smooth and pleasant, smiling while Sakura cussed and spat and cussed some more, "you _are _going to give me a proper answer. How bad is your injury?"

Her reply was inappropriate and the parts that weren't laced with fury were useless to him. He sighed. "Sakura, you're being childish. Just tell me the extent of your injury. I need to make sure what precautions to take in the future." Her thrashing dwindled and he eased his grip slightly. "Well?"

Sakura's head hung low and he couldn't see her expression. He bent a little closer, hoping to read some of the invisible vibes that were coming off of her from underneath the veil of pink-

"I'll tell you," she said suddenly, "but not now."

Kakashi frowned. This wasn't an answer he was used to accepting. He told her so.

"I won't accept that."

"But you're going to have to," retorted Sakura quite bluntly, "because you're not going to get it out of me." She turned her head towards him, a defiant twinkle in her eyes. "I'm allowed to have my secrets, Kakashi."

"Not from me you aren't."

She blanched. "What is that supposed to mean?"

He did not give her a proper answer. "Are you completely set on keeping this from me?"

"Yes," she said boldly, "I am."

Something inside of him seemed to snap at this horrible piece of truth she just shoved in his face, but just as always he smoothed it over with indifference even though she could still see the slight anger from within. He released her and she quickly stumbled and fumbled her way into a proper standing position, straightening her clothes as fast as she could, trying to ignore the curious glances from people passing by.

"Geez, Kakashi, did you really have to do that?"

He didn't reply. He was already walking.

"Let's go, Sakura. We're wasting time."

Sakura gaped at him for a fraction of a second before crossing her arms and glaring ever so slightly at him.

_I didn't hurt his feeling _that _badly… did I?_

She frowned deeper. Whatever, she shouldn't be feeling bad about this. She would tell him in time. There was no need to discuss the unknown until she reached Tsunade and had a proper examination.

_Besides, _she thought quietly as she followed Kakashi as silent as a shadow, _it's not something I really want to talk about._

Her breathing hitched as if to underline her dark thoughts.

_Yeah, I'd rather just ignore it._

It wasn't exactly what a medic nin's train of thought should have been, but who could judge her unless they had the power to jump into her skull and weed out all of her bad-ninja-thoughts-of-negligence. No, those were her little seeds of sin that she was quite content in planting and watching grow.

_My evil flower of consequence._

Her breathing stumbled again.

_Mine to hide._

_

* * *

_

They didn't buy many supplies, just a week's worth of things. After an hour of outdoor shopping, Sakura suggested casually that they go to the Bronze Kettle and get something to drink.

"I can't feel my nose and I think I've frozen myself a snotty mustache."

Kakashi agreed with her 'casual request', that a little hot brew wouldn't do them harm and then they both turned their steps towards the small pub. Of course on the way Kakashi couldn't help but drop the slyest of hints, ever so often casting his eyes towards a very familiar alley and an equally similar wall. Sakura, being the observant girl she was, immediately caught on and she felt her back freeze. Of course this was impossible; she was wearing layer upon layer of dead animal skin. That didn't mean her brain couldn't recall memories of frozen stone rubbing against her skin.

"Don't get any ideas," grumbled Sakura, her cheeks now on fire.

"Ideas? Whatever do you mean, Sakura?"

"Oooh, you are _so _lucky we're in public or I'd-"

"That didn't stop you last time."

Sakura really truly was _extremely _close to punching him in the back of the head- a very Naruto-ish punishment- but the hot, spicy scent of cider was just too wonderful and her anger evaporated being quickly replaced by the familiar sensation known as thirst.

"Welcome to the Bronze Kettle!" greeted a spunky, young waitress. "Take any table you want!"

"Oh, what _wonderful _memories…" Sakura glared at him dryly, knowing his mind was still sitting very comfortably in the gutter. He merely smiled at her and signaled the waitress, raising two fingers. The waitress nodded, promised them she'd get their hot ciders in a few minutes, and then she disappeared into the kitchen while Sakura practically melted in her chair at the thought of having a hot drink. As she sat, it gave Kakashi ample amount of time to look at her.

She was smiling happily, anxious for her order. He examined her quietly, his eyes following every scar, every curve, noting each and every one of them. He wondered what dark night gave her the thin line above her brow, or what drunken guard decided to slice his knife across her cheek. To others, such marks would be ugly, or perhaps they would bring fear. Other people would call them trophies and display them proudly. In his eyes, they were merely another feature, like her nose, or her ear. They blended into her, became part of her, and when he had finished seeing and pondering over each one, he lost interest. Staring at a nose or an ear for an extended amount of time would do that to any normal person.

It was then he realized that she was doing more than relaxing; she was staring into space, probably lost in some no nonsense daydream. Shifting slightly as he leaned his elbow against the back of the seat, scratching his head, he decided to break the silence.

"It's strange, finally going home."

"Huh?" Sakura was dragged out of her happy fantasy of singing cider mugs rather abruptly. "What is it that you said?" She gave him a sheepish grin. "Sorry, I just really want something to drink."

He sighed at her, but he felt a smile twitch on the corners of his mouth. "I said it's strange now that we're finally going home."

"Oh. Yeah," she nodded in agreement, "it is. But of course I'm happy that we are." She sighed, a happy smile on her face. "I can't wait to go and talk to Naruto. I wonder if he's already proposed to Hinata?" She laughed softly. "Knowing him he's either been too embarrassed to do it or he rushed right in and shoved the ring right into her face." She laughed a little louder this time. "I hope Ino is doing well, along with all the others." She sighed a little. "And I really, _really _hope Tsunade-sensei isn't too angry with me."

"She'll understand," said Kakashi. "There are some things you can't help."

"I know, but still." She traced the table absentmindedly with her finger, following the grain of the wood. "I'm also worried about my house. I hope everything is fine."

"Hm."

Sakura looked up. "Hm, what?"

"What?"

"I said, hm, what?"

"Oh." He shrugged. "I was just thinking."

"About…?"

"My secret, not yours," he said teasingly.

She pouted now. "Oh hah hah, very funny."

"It is."

"No, it's not!" She gave him the sweetest look she could muster. "C'mon, tell me." Her eyes grew big and puppydogish. "Pwease?"

It didn't affect Kakashi in the way she had hoped. All he looked was embarrassed for her. "And I had thought you had matured a little."

"I have!" exclaimed Sakura, offended. "That hasn't affected my curiosity though!"

Kakashi shook his head, a slight smile on his face. "I'll tell you eventually."

Sakura crossed her arms and pouted some more. "You're cruel," she grumbled, and then her eyes lit up and she exclaimed happily as two mugs were set before them. Sakura greedily took hers and, halting only slightly to blow on the steaming drink, put her lips to the cup and drank.

"Oh yeah!" she gasped as she set down the now half-empty mug. "That's the good stuff!"

Kakashi didn't feel like bringing up their previous conversation and instead agreed. "Yes, it is good."

"No, it's the _best."_

"Alright, it's the best."

Sakura grinned, pleased. "Thank you."

He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at her and instead focused his gaze on the window. It was fogged up around the edges, but from what he could tell, not even winter slowed down the town, it's streets still swarmed with life. Maybe it was because the economy was trying to make up for time lost during the flood, or maybe it had always been like this. Either way, seeing everyone moving to somewhere made his own legs itch to leave. He rarely felt homesick- for a jounin to feel homesick is like being a doctor who is afraid of needles; it just doesn't work out with one's profession. However, he had been through too much for too long, and finally he allowed himself to feel the smallest of aches of longing.

_I think I even miss that ramen head-filled fool…_

Sakura sighed heavily, and before she spoke, he already knew her thoughts were very similar to his.

"Kakashi… I really want to go home."

"I know. So do I."

Her eyes focused on her mug, her expression timid. "But I'm also a little afraid."

"Afraid?" He pulled his attention away from the window. "Afraid of what?"

She didn't respond and merely played with the steam wafting from her mug.

"Sakura…"

She sighed again. "Do you think that…" She trailed off, her eyes softening slightly as her fingers slowly stopped twirling in the steam. Eventually she closed them, smiling slightly and chuckling. "Never mind. It's stupid."

He couldn't help but feel a bit put-off by her obvious discomfort. He waited for her to change her mind, but she remained silent, her green eyes staring far beyond the edge of her mug into a place where thoughts were little whispers that drifted by like clouds. He didn't want that silence, he wanted answers, and an hour and three refills later, his patience ran out.

"Sakura-"

She stood up abruptly, stretching her hands high above her head. "Hey, we should get going, yeah? It's going to be dark soon." She gestured towards the now golden-colored window, the frost on the glass scattering the light in a soft, warm halo across the room. Kakashi was fully aware of the time, but he didn't very much like being left hanging like he was at that very moment, feebly trying to piece together the rest of her thoughts on his own.

She was already at the door. "You comin'?"

He gave her a sharp look, but the innocent smile she gave him killed any or all thoughts of forcefully obtaining what information he wanted from her. He stood up reluctantly, tossing a tip onto the table.

"Looks like."

* * *

"I know that the recipe calls for teriyaki, but I've always been a fan of fish oil and I make sure to add _just _enough to get that salty flavor." Akane smiled at Kakashi as she measured out the oil, speaking to him as if sharing a carefully guarded secret- even though she knew he wasn't paying any attention to her little cooking lesson. "Personally, I think it accents the beef well. But not too much oil! You don't want to overpower the flavor of the meat."

Kakashi did his best to ignore the answering growl of his starved stomach when the sauce sizzled in the pan by focusing on his report to Tsunade, but when he did that, he wanted to focus on the food instead of the intimidating jumble of incidents that were piling up by the minute. It was hard to pick which torture he had to endure.

_Why must I always be tormented like this?_

Akane began to add the sliced carrots. "Is Sakura still busy with her report as well?"

"Yes."

"Do you always have to do those things?"

"Yes. We must keep careful track of our missions. The reasons are numerous and most are classified." He sighed as he scribbled down another torture he had endured during his imprisonment. "It's a pain, but a necessary pain."

"Hm, sounds boring."

"I said it was necessary. I didn't say it was fun."

She laughed. "Of course, of course. My apologies." Akane reached into a nearby cupboard and threw in a dash of something. "Dinner will be done soon, Kakashi. I just have to finish this up and fry up the rest of the vegetables."

"I wish you wouldn't go through all this trouble…" She didn't hear him of course, and even if she did, it wouldn't have made a difference. Akane and Hitoshi were determined to send him and Sakura off with full stomachs. If he had any say in things, he probably would have left that night, even though morning was a wiser choice.

_I want to go home. I want to go home, sleep, maybe eat a little, and sleep some more._

Never mind the fact that there was a few other reasons why he wanted to go home, Sakura related reasons, but at that moment, the thought of sleeping in his own bed came before everything else, especially the discussion he and Sakura would inevitably have. Yes, he desired his bed above all else.

_Although, _he thought after catching a whiff of what that 'something spice' had done to Akane's cooking, _it wouldn't hurt to have another hot meal before we leave._

* * *

Sakura was lying down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, her completed report beside her. She let out a long, heavy sigh, closing her eyes, flinging her pencil to the side, relieved beyond words to have it out of her possession. She curled up on her side, reaching above her and grabbing her pillow, clutching it to her chest, snuggling into its softness.

"One more night… one more night and I'll finally be in my own bed."

The thought suddenly brought tears to her eyes. Stunned, she wiped them away and stared at them for a moment. Then, a smile stretched across her lips and she laughed at the absurdity of it all. After all she had gone through, such a simple desire shouldn't have affected her so.

Yet it did, and the more she thought about her small apartment, her friends, even the stern looks Tsunade would give her when she made a particularly unfortunate slip up concerning a needle-fearing patient, the more her heart seemed to swell until she was nearly sobbing into her pillow with disbelief.

"Home… _home…_" Over and over she repeated the words in her mind, as if they were a magical enchantment that would whisk her away at that very moment. It was no longer a dream, a hope that only glimmered slightly in the face of death. It was _real; _she was going home.

_With Kakashi._

Kakashi… The swelling became an ache and a torrent of confused emotions burst forth. Where words could usually describe such an emotion, for her it remained in the form of colors and incoherent sentences that babbled on and on within her spiraling mind. Some of it hurt, and some of it was so beautiful, she couldn't help but smile. Most of all, it was confusing, which was why every time she came close to talking to him about it, the words would die on her tongue and fade away into silence, gone but not forgotten.

She knew he wanted to talk about it. That, and the other thing that only troubled her when she moved around too much. Thinking about made her consciously aware of the very subtle change in her breathing, the slight pressure on her chest. The moment she had been stabbed so brutally and received the sub-par treatment Vighan tossed her, she knew that there was nothing that she could do about it. Perhaps a few months ago, she would have been fine- if Tsunade was there and prepared for a full out surgery. Now it was a permanent wound, her evil little flower, as she called it. And she knew that when Tsunade found out, she would be angry, and perhaps disappointed. Maybe even sad, for there was only one fate for a kunoichi with a crippled lung.

Not even the thought of being forced into a desk for the rest of her life could stand up against the inevitable wrath she would face from her former sensei. She could see the whole incident happen right in front of her eyes, how he would tower over her, lightning striking around him as he called her stupid and senseless and would question her promotion to jounin. And she would reply, as her face hit the floor, arms out before her, that she _was _stupid, she _was _senseless, and as for being a jounin… Maybe she would ask Tsunade after she put on her own spontaneous Thunderstorm of Doom.

She groaned, shoving her face into her pillow. She would do anything to get back to Konoha, but once she got there, she knew that she would probably want to turn tail and head right back out. There were many issues waiting for her in the village, most of which would probably be the butt of many jokes or strings of gossip. Of course she chose to ignore such gossip most of the time, but it didn't change the fact that it irritated her to the core, leaving her wanting to bring mass destruction to otherwise innocent people.

"They can't help but be stupid," Sakura told herself in muffled, chiding tones. "They don't even _know _it, so you cannot kill them."

It was a shame really, having morals and codes of honor and whatnot. It kept her from doing the things she really wanted to do.

Finding it difficult to breathe with the pillow shoved so firmly in her face, she turned away to get some air. Instantly, her mouth began to salivate as she smelled the wonder known as Akane's cooking. Nearly floating on air, she fluidly moved off the bed, glided to the door, and dazedly went down the stairs, the ravenous growls of her stomach hypnotizing.

"Well, well, well, look who decided to join us." Akane was pushing some stir fry into some bowls of rice, her generous bosom covered in a frilly apron. "Have a seat at the table girl and I'll get you served."

The command was broken down into simple words, and so her brain told her 'sit table' and she turned, coming face to face with Kakashi. His presence was not allowed in Simple Thought Land, so the world became intelligent once more, and her hunger was no longer hypnotizing, but almost painful. She winced as her stomach grumbled, her face going red at the slight raise of his eyebrow.

"Kakashi!" she laughed with embarrassment, taking a seat across from him and sitting down quickly. "Well… Ah hah… Oh, did you finish your report?"

He smiled at her obvious change of topic, but he allowed the incident to pass. "No, not yet, but I am almost done. What about yours?" Again, the nervous laughter, but this time he wasn't going to let this one pass. "You _are _going to finish it tonight, right?"

"Yes, I will! Cut me some slack, will you?" She pat her stomach. "I just needed a bit of food first. I cannot work on an empty stomach!"

"Hmmm…" An unconvinced reply, which granted him a nasty wrinkling of her nose.

"Sakura's right, Kakashi. You really need to take a break! Here." She placed two steaming bowls of food before them and handed them chopsticks. "Eat to your hearts content."

Sakura grabbed the utensils with a lightning fast snap of her hand. "You don't have to ask me twice!" With an appreciation and love for food that would make Naruto proud, she dove in, shoving food into her mouth in a greedy pace. Kakashi smoothly took his chopsticks, thanked Akane, and ate slowly, not envying the stomach ache he knew his beautiful pink-haired friend was going to get.

Sure enough, by the time she was done, Sakura was caught between bliss and agony. With a groan, she slowly sank forward, her forehead hitting the table. Hitoshi, who had joined them a few minutes after they had received their bowls, clicked his tongue against his cheek at Sakura's deteriorating composure.

"Not the first time I've seen someone like this after they ate my blossom's food." He laughed. "It's just too darn good!"

Kakashi, his food finished, looked down at the groaning Sakura with a sigh. He stood up out of his chair. "Well, I suppose I better get her to bed then."

"No," Sakura moaned. "Let me die here…"

Apparently Kakashi decided that her time wasn't then and defied her orders by taking her by the arm and helping her out of her chair. When she got up, she slumped against him, letting out a burp before mumbling, "Thank you for dinner, Akane."

"Of course, honey. Now, get a move on. Sleep will do you some good."

Kakashi gave his own thanks and then led Sakura up the stairs. When they got to her door and he moved to bid her goodnight, he found that he could not remove his hand.

Sakura, her thin fingers wrapped around his wrist, was staring down at the ground, her bangs covering her face. "Kakashi…" Her words came out as a murmur, hesitant and quiet, like the beginning of a gentle spring breeze. Her grip squeezed, and then she looked up at him shyly, the silent question speaking loudly to him as he stared into her flushed face.

When it came to Sakura, nothing made sense. When he thought he made some discovery, she would turn around and his truth would fall away, fine sand sliding through the cracks between his fingers. When it came to Sakura, he became fully aware that he was a man, and desire was a large part of that. Even then, the sweet smell that was her was tickling at the edge of his nose. If he stepped a little closer, moved his arms a little more, he would be surrounded by her and the ache within him would ease a little more.

Yet, even when she looked at him with such longing, he knew that this wasn't the place or the time. Even when they were in the alley, so close to doing what he knew they both wanted, fate reminded him that they were still ninja, still parts of a whole that needed completion. Wants needed to wait, and as the disappointment began to fill her gaze, he knew that his own regret was much more clear than he desired it to be.

Her hand fell away from his, and the instinct to reach for her again was only stopped because she started to talk. "Alright, I understand… Yeah, maybe we should wait."

She knew it too. She was a smart woman after all. But that didn't change how sad she looked at that moment, how rejected she appeared to be. It made him uncomfortable knowing it was he who had made her so ashamed, especially knowing that he had wanted the same thing as she did.

He needed to make things right for her. _This _wasn't a want. It was a need. He needed to make her right, to smooth out her wrinkles, to make her happy. It was like taking in that next breath of fresh air to keep him living. It was so peculiar, the slow discovery of this separate entity living half of his life, like a vital organ he could talk to. The experience was raw and a tad startling, but like any other curious individual, he sought to know a little more by entertaining the new thought he was having.

"Perhaps," he said slowly, startling Sakura, "I could… watch over you? But I would require a bed. Your room only has one, doesn't it…?"

Sakura was obviously confused, but the moment she caught the slight twinkle in his dark eyes, the almost too casual way he spoke, she seamlessly slipped into the act, shrugging slightly.

"Yeah, I only have one. But, if you're only, you know, keeping an eye on me… I suppose we could… I don't know, _share _the bed, but only because you're making sure I'm okay."

"Of course. It's purely platonic."

"Yeah."

They were putting on a show for themselves, and they both knew it, but it gave them peace of mind. So, with a calm that was hovering just above a nervousness that somehow stayed in check, Kakashi shut the door behind them. True to his word, he watched over her… But he did so with his bare arms wrapped around her naked torso, his fingers tracing the scars on her skin. He made sure she was safe and slept soundly while their legs were tangled together underneath the sheets, caressing them. Eventually, he too fell asleep, his chin resting atop her head, their hearts beating in tandem.

It wasn't what he wanted… at least, not all of it. But it was damn near close, and that was enough then. This was the last thought he had before his thoughts faded into shadow and he fell asleep.

* * *

Once again, they stood at the entrance to the town, only this time almost all of it's residents were there with them, waiting to give their goodbyes. Most of the faces she didn't know, some where recognizable, but all she loved. Kakashi, dressed for travel, mask back in place, wasn't one for warm goodbyes, but he did nod to those in thanks as they wished him luck and good fortune.

Saying goodbye to June was heart-wrenching. The woman, with a bandage over her head, hugged Sakura tightly, gave her a bundle of dried fruit, and then burst into a batch of fresh tears as she hugged her again. Sakura did her best to keep from crying, but it was like trying to stop a dam with a wall of pillows.

At the front of the crowd stood Hitoshi and Akane, travel packs in their hands. Akane, bottom lip trembling, gave Sakura the pack, and then gathered her into her arms and nearly suffocated the poor girl. Hitoshi merely shook hands with Kakashi, a silent conversation shared between the men with just the slightest of smiles, but when Sakura was finally freed, Hitoshi nearly crushed the girl's back with his giant hug. Not even Kakashi had been able to escape Akane's grasp, although his experience was far less traumatizing. Finally, when the small group recovered- the recovery mostly on Sakura's half- they faced each other one last time.

"Well," rasped out Hitoshi before he cleared his throat and started again. "Well, I suppose it's time you get going."

Kakashi nodded. "Yes. We have been gone from our home for far too long."

"Visit us again, alright?" said Akane, her lush, red lips still trembling with suppressed tears. "We want to know how you two are doing!"

"Of course we'll visit." The ache in Sakura's heart was strong, but the call of her home was stronger. "We'll miss you too much! But…" She glanced down at the road. "We really do need to get going…"

The couple nodded and then stepped aside to let Kakashi and Sakura pass. As they began to walk away, the cheers and cries of the people of River's Bend followed them. Kakashi remained stoic and calm, but the girl beside him was antsy and fidgety. He sighed, the smallest of laughs escaping with his words.

"Go ahead."

The cheers increased, laughter dancing in the air as Sakura spun around and waved her hand wildly in the air. "_Goodbye!_" She cried out, her green eyes shimmering. "We'll miss you!"

And so, the duo left River's Bend for the final time.

* * *

A/N:

[Looks at the eyes of murder] ...I know. _I know. _I'm a horrible person. How dare I put this story on hiatus?! Well I dared because… Well because I suck. There. I said it. [Waits to accept her rightful punishment].

The first half was written… what, two years ago? And the other half was written last night. I wonder if you readers can tell the difference? I certainly can. Not so sure that's a good thing… At any rate, any old readers will probably have to go back and re-read some things to understand what's going on. I know I had to. Ugh, my horribleness just keeps asserting itself.

So! I'm going to _finish _this first, and then I'm going to go back over the whole story and edit it because it _needs _it. These final chapters (TWO, including an epilogue) should come easily. All it is going to be is romance. Yup, finally, right?

Oh man… I _cannot _apologize enough. But I shall try! Sorry sorry sorry sorry… [Continues to babble].

See you soon- swearsies!

~TS


End file.
